Silent Abyss
by bandanaye
Summary: Amid a war he feels he's been involved in for far too long, Sebastian conveniently lands in neutral grounds. Yet as he contemplates whether or not he should stay, a certain human's soul snatches his interest…but is it truly for the better? SxC
1. Descent

A/N: Hello~ I've got a new story here :D I'll be honest and say that this one is only half finished, and I really wanted to wait until it was all done, but I just _needed_ to post/update _something_. I've come to resent being dormant on this site for months at a time. Anyway, aside from my own personal writing issues and lack of self-restraint, please read and enjoy!

Warnings: _**for the first four chapters**_ dark themes, blood/gore, mention of sex, very minor mention of _noncon_ sex, disturbing images

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji

* * *

Silent Abyss

Chapter One

Descent

* * *

The air crackled with thunder, dividing the heaven from earth. Tears and blood fell from the sky in the form of rain as hundreds of unseen beings battled to their last breath, their cries of hate, vengeance and excitement swallowed up in the clouds and mist. Wings of white and black bled crimson as flesh was torn apart midstride as one being charged against another. A never ending war…the angels were winning.

Sebastian watched with a snarl as one of his comrades was slain to shreds by the innocent beings of rapture and without hesitation his mighty wings threw him forward, his powerful claws slicing through the opposing being. The battle ensued, and before he knew it, he was engulfed.

His wings were torn and his body was beaten. His will was strong, but the actual momentum was waning and he couldn't keep himself afloat. Cherub faces splattered with black blood sneered at him, forcing him down. Sebastian growled, curling in defense as he realized there were suddenly too many to handle by himself. Yet he swiped at them, kicking out with everything he had until he was unaware of his entire body being pommelled down at a rate he couldn't keep up with.

The daemon choked on the fluids stuck in his throat as something hit his back with brutal force, nearly breaking him into two. His claws grappled fruitlessly at the passing air around him, his glowing cerise eyes searching frantically for his assailant but finding none. There was a sudden burning sensation consuming his body next, and then an all too familiar shift of his form.

It was a fleeting thought, but Sebastian knew that he had broken through the barrier between the earth and heaven. His claws receded and his wings shriveled painfully into his mangled and bloodied back. Toughened skin thinned considerably, and his bones shifted to accommodate his disguised form.

Sebastian screamed upon impact.

…

It was quiet save the twittering of bluebirds through the steady freezing rain. The scent of fresh air and clean cut grass woke him from his haze. Red eyes shifted, their owner's body completely broken and only just beginning to heal. Sebastian sampled the air as a way to figuring out where he was, but the vast landscape of various plants and a very large home in the distance quickly gave him an answer.

Sighing, he rolled onto his back with excruciating pain, swearing in his foreign tongue at the agony and at his own impotence. How pathetic, a daemon of hell reduced to a bloody pulp by some archangels, left to wallow on the earth among pitiful humans. An insult, a fate worse than death. His fingers dug uselessly into the softened ground, his fingernails collecting dirt and mud.

After a while he managed to content himself with staring at the clouded sky through the willow branches that hung over him, idly wondering if his kind had progressed any. It was truly an everlasting campaign…he'd been fighting for well over a thousand years now, and he was still considered young. How much longer would it last?

Black was starting to blot his vision when the rain became a drizzle. The clouds parted here and there, allowing the early morning sun to kiss the land with its misty glow. A cool sensation had started to run through his body and Sebastian knew that he'd be fully healed in a couple days' time. As the rain started up again to a sudden downpour, the daemon let himself fall completely vulnerable.

* * *

"Mmm…Ciel."

Said boy let out a shaky breath and lowered himself to the warm sheets. They were soft and smelled of their combined musk. He reached for his pillow and buried his face in it with a soft sigh as he closed his eyes with hopes of drifting away.

Smooth arms snaked around his waist as full breasts pressed flush against the middle of his back, a forehead leaning to rest against his shoulder. "I love you," Elizabeth murmured, planting light kisses on his skin. Ciel shivered, but said nothing.

Had it truly been a year? The seventeen year old couldn't believe it. He thought of the date – _October twenty-first_ – with regret and he winced as Elizabeth hugged him tighter. A lax sigh escaped her swollen lips, and Ciel felt her unwind against him completely, sleep capturing her easily.

Blue eyes stared at the drawn drapes, wondering if the moon's light would peek through the rain, clouds and the curtain's cracks. The sweat on his body was cooling and he trembled. The idea of drawing a nice warm bath was a pleasing one, but the even breaths against the back of his neck stayed him. He stifled a groan, wanting nothing more than to slip out of his wife's embrace.

It wasn't that he didn't love Elizabeth, his wife, his cousin. He loved his childhood friend dearly, but marriage had proven to be a step taken too far. Ciel regretted not cancelling the marriage. The only reason he'd gone through with it was because of…

Perhaps if their wedding hadn't been set for October twenty-first, perhaps his stance on his and Elizabeth's relationship would be better. The Middlefords surely knew that that date was…Frances especially. Why in the name of all that was good did they pick _this _sorry date?

An anger Ciel didn't realize he had accumulating in his stomach until he found his knuckles colored white from clutching the comforter so hard caught him off guard and he shook his head. He was being ridiculous; he shouldn't let his temper flare because of some date that held little importance to everyone but himself. He had no reason to be so selfish.

The resentment quickly traded places with an all too familiar pang of wretchedness. It was harder to shake away than his temper and hot tears suddenly lined the rims of his eyes. Elizabeth cuddled closer to him for warmth, or perhaps to unconsciously comfort him as he silently confronted his past daemons.

Exhaustion was at last settling and Ciel blinked away his unshed tears, hoping his head would feel heavy and fuzzy. A couple minutes passed as he started to drift, but before he completely succumbed to sleep, he whispered to the empty night, "Rest in peace, mother, father."

…

A hand was on his shoulder, shaking him out of a half formed nightmare and into a groggy alertness. "Master," Tanaka's voice wavered in an out. With each repeat of his title, the butler's voice became more and more urgent. "My lord, there's an emergency."

Groaning, Ciel reluctantly opened his eyes to a blurry room. Elizabeth was still wrapped around him, sound asleep. Stifling a yawn he asked, "What's the matter? It's…" a yawn, "…early."

The lines of age became absurdly clear on Tanaka's worn face as he frowned. "A stranger has been found in the northwest gardens. He's badly injured."

Forgetting his modesty Ciel shot up, the blankets pooling around his hips. Tanaka politely turned away as part of Elizabeth's chest was revealed. Shuffling out of bed, Ciel graciously took a bathrobe his butler offered him. "Have you brought this man inside?"

"We managed to bring him to the greenhouse, my lord. We didn't want to upset his injuries – it's clear he needs medical attention." As Ciel tied his robe, he went to the wardrobe and pulled out a heavy coat. The master of the house slipped it on along with some slippers and both men quietly left the bedroom. As they went down the hallway, Ciel drew aside a frightened maid and instructed her to stay near the bedchamber should Elizabeth wake.

The early morning air was blistering and misty after a night's frigid rain but Ciel didn't complain as he kept behind Tanaka, maintaining the fast pace to the faraway greenhouse building. He sighed with relief when they walked into the soothing warmth and plant aroma-filled building, but he was far from controlling his shivers.

"We placed him by the dead-nettles, sir," Tanaka remarked as they traveled the small and winding path to the heart of the building. They came to the strange man who was surrounded by three worrisome gardeners. The butler shooed them away, allowing Ciel to have a look in able to assess a decision.

The man was a bloodied and bruised mess that shouldn't have by any rights been alive. Scrapes and cuts oozed dark, slow flowing blood, but most of it had more or less frozen to the blackened patches of skin. He was extremely pale, the cold enhancing his washed out color. His clothes were torn to pieces and hardly recognizable; the man was nearly naked.

Ciel 'hmphed'. "Well, someone's obviously been through hell and back. Where again did you find him?"

One of the bundled up gardeners stepped forward. "By the willow trees on the northwest side, sir."

"Does he have an identity?"

"None that we could find."

"And he's alive?"

"Barely, sir."

Ciel thought, his eyes glued to the unconscious and battered man. "When did you find him? And was he ever awake?"

The gardeners glanced at Tanaka nervously, then to the stranger. "A quarter to six, my lord," one of them spoke. "He hasn't opened his eyes or shown any kind of consciousness since we found him."

Cocking his head, Ciel considered the situation quickly, thinking of Elizabeth, what the man could be – _a vicious killer?_ – and then shook his head. "You three are to bring him to a guest bedroom. Tanaka, call Mr. Anders; tell him it's an emergency and that this man cannot be moved to a hospital under any condition."

The four servants bowed dutifully. "Yes, my lord."

* * *

It was nearly eight in the morning when the family physician arrived, calm as ever and prepared for the worst. Tanaka had answered the door and led the gentleman up the lavish staircase and to the third guestroom. Earl Phantomhive, a manservant and three maids surrounded the large bed over the partly cleaned stranger. Ciel greeted the doctor as Tanaka made their presence known.

"Mr. Anders, thank you for coming on such short notice. We've had quite a surprise this morning." He quickly relayed everything he knew to the older man before letting the physician get down to work.

Within the time that the doctor had been working, Ciel had taken his morning meal and dressed for the day. Elizabeth woke around half past nine and instantly noticed the upset face of her husband. He told her all that had transpired, his golden-haired wife aghast with worry and a bit of fear when the word "stranger" came up.

"He didn't have a weapon on him, did he?" she asked curiously, her voice wavering a little. She looked a little faint.

Ciel sighed softly, glancing into his nearly empty teacup. They were in the small conservatory overlooking the soon to be dreary garden. Sunshine cascaded through the windows and warmed the two through their clothes. "He was in tatters; we don't even know who he is. If he'd been carrying a weapon, he lost it long ago." Elizabeth said nothing, but looked down at her hands and Ciel was sure that she was wringing them.

With his brows knitting together, Ciel stood up and went over to the girl, leaning down a little to be eyelevel with her. A kind smile spread his lips as he took one of her gloved hands, and he kissed the knuckles in reassurance. "I promise I'll protect you, Elizabeth. If he lifts even his smallest finger in the wrong way, I won't let him near you."

Green eyes danced lovingly. "Oh Ciel…" She leaned forward and pecked him gently on the lips, a light pink flush dusting her apple cheeks. The previous worry disappeared from her face and she stood up, clutching Ciel's hand tighter within her own. "I'll be in the drawing room finishing up my thank you letters; may you please come and get me when the physician's done?"

Returning the kiss upon her temple, the boy nodded. "Of course."

* * *

In her mind's eye, Elizabeth had imagined a monster of a man to be in their home. A wild look would blaze in his yellowed eyes, his body grotesquely beefy, red, and swarmed with un-groomed hair. He'd be middle-aged and untidy; hardly the image of a proper English gentleman like the men she knew and loved.

Instead she found herself trying with all her might to hide a blush as Ciel led her into the guestroom. From the doorway she could see that this stranger was not what she imagined, and it wasn't just his naked skin that flustered her. While Ciel talked with Mr. Anders she kept close by, pretending to listen to the list of injuries and instructions for care, but her emerald eyes continuously crept to the bed.

A long body, perhaps a head and shoulders and a half over Ciel lay on the bed under the thin white sheet. Pale skin that nearly matched the cloth peeked out from the man's waist up, his arms cascading down his sides in a lazy manner. Fine, lithe muscles bulged pleasantly underneath his skin, and a small jab of…something she couldn't quite identify shot through her being as she considered the numerous bandages pulled over his unmoving body. Clenching her hands into her dress, Elizabeth continued with her observation, her lips parting as her eyes traveled up his outstretched neck and to his finely sculpted jaw. His head had been gently pushed to the side facing her, and she wished with all her heart for any excuse to take a closer look.

"…quite a few broken ribs – it's amazing nothing vital was punctured, but the bruising on the inside as well as the outside will probably last a couple…"

Ebony locks that were messily combed framed the stranger's angular face, appearing soft to the touch. Long eyelashes slept against high cheekbones, and down a long nose were pale yet pursed lips. Elizabeth's hands grew sweaty and her heart thumped as she vividly imagined what this man would be like awake and healthy, the thought alone causing her face to heat up further.

"…alright? Elizabeth?" Ciel touched her arm gently, snapping her out of her fantasies and causing her to start. Before she could say anything, her husband placed a hand against her forehead, his eyes showing concern. "Is it too warm in here? Do you feel unwell?"

Coming to her senses quickly the girl patted down her dress, wiping her hands in the process, and managed a confident smile with a short laugh. "I'm fine, darling," she said convincingly, watching with a bit of confusion as the worry dashed from Ciel's eyes the moment she said so. "But it is a tad warmer than I expected it to be today – I'll go change into something lighter, alright?" Before her husband could reply, she hurriedly kissed him on the cheek before making a hasty retreat with one of the maids in tow.

Lifting his brows, Ciel watched his wife leave in embarrassment, but quickly dismissed the odd behavior, knowing that sometimes even Elizabeth had her unexplained moments. Turning back to the physician, he inquired, "When do you think he'll wake up?"

The man slapped his hands together in thought, his gaze drifting to his mysterious patient. "Hm…with the amount of injuries he's sustained, I would say about a week at most, three or four days at the least." He paused for a moment to scratch his chin. "However, if he doesn't regain any consciousness within a week and a half – given that he's still breathing, of course – please give me a call. Otherwise he should come around when he's ready. Just make sure he's properly nourished and drinks plenty of water."

Nodding, Ciel watched as the man took the liberty to pull the blanket up to the man's chin before grabbing his coat and top hat from a nearby chair. The earl said his goodbyes and a gracious thank you before allowing Tanaka to see the physician out. The last two maids were ordered away for the time being as Ciel went to the bedside to get a better look at his unexpected guest.

A man probably in his mid-twenties lay before him, battered and broken. His chest rose and fell underneath the blanket very shallowly and as Ciel's eyes traced the bruises that littered the only visible part of his body, he thought of the other as handsome. Sneering at his own fleeting thought Ciel continued to stare, thinking up possible theories of who'd trespass onto his manor.

'Probably some washed-up son of an underground boss,' he thought with an ironic laugh. 'How pathetic…having been beaten up by your own kind before I get the chance.'

This reminded him…he hadn't received a letter from the Queen to act as the Watchdog for a couple weeks now. Surely there would be a letter for him today. But if not, perhaps this man wasn't part of the underworld after all. So what would that make this man?

Deciding to wait on the matter, Ciel pushed to issue to the back of his mind as he turned on his heel, calling for the maid who stood just outside to keep an eye on the bedroom as well as to follow the doctor's orders. Stopping the girl with a gentle hand on her shoulder as she nodded furiously and started forward, Ciel added as an afterthought, "And keep the door locked when you're done with your duties."

"Understood, sir."

* * *

'_Come…'_

The scent was strong, sickly sweet and naïve, but it would be good enough. His stomach ached, it was starved – _he _was starved. His body didn't move but it twitched ceaselessly, waiting for the right moment to strike, to pounce, to feed.

'_Come to me, my darling.' _

* * *

Slushy rain melted the outside world and Elizabeth bundled herself up before she left the bedroom. Paula followed her dutifully down the hallway, remarking on the unfortunate weather and suggesting that they play a game or toil in boundless crafts for the afternoon. The lady didn't remark on her servant's upbeat attitude as she passed her husband's office with an almost timid step before gliding down a flight of stairs.

"Paula, you managed to get the shift today, didn't you?" Elizabeth asked over her shoulder as she walked down the east wing.

"O-of course, my lady," the brown haired girl replied sweetly, fishing the key out of her apron. She handed it to her superior when they stopped in front of the guest's room. "Should I fetch some porridge and warm tea?"

Elizabeth nodded, her stomach's butterflies starting to awaken as she turned to the door's lock. "Yes, please. And knock before you come in." She waited for Paula to bow and leave before sliding the key into its socket and unlocking the door.

It had been three days since their mysterious guest had arrived and Elizabeth couldn't suppress not being within the man's presence any longer. She knew it wasn't proper of her, stealing into a strange man's room while he was unconscious to fawn over him, but what harm would it do? She slid in through the barely opened door, softly clicking it shut behind her. The last servant had banked the fireplace which warmed the room pleasantly despite the coldness lapping at the large bay windows.

Moving with grace to the windows, she pulled the curtains shut and lit a few candles before eagerly dragging a chair to the bedside. Settling down comfortably, she held her breath as the consequences of her actions trickled through her mind, but she squashed the scary thoughts down. Ciel would never know – he was buried in the company work. She had also forced Paula to swear not to tell anyone that she'd be visiting their guest today. The worst that could happen would be a halfhearted scolding from Ciel – and she knew that routine from childhood.

Relaxing her face and clutching her pastel pink dress instead, Elizabeth turned her attention onto better things. The man had yet to wake up, but over the past few days it was obvious that his injuries were healing. Most of the bruises had faded to dull smudges along his skin, and that was only his face. With jittery fingers she peeled back the comforter, a blush spreading over her face as she got an up close and personal look at the man's chest covered in bandages.

Spots of dark red stained the tightly bound dressings here and there, but the healing injuries were far from the lady's mind. Bright and innocent green eyes raked over the exposed flesh, noticing how toned and well sculpted the man was. Holding back a giggle, she slowly pulled a dainty glove off and carefully reached out to touch. Surprisingly the flesh was warm and hard under her hand, and Elizabeth shivered. Her fingers curved along the man's upper anatomy, feeling through the bandages and along half-mangled ribs, over a taut and slightly bruised stomach. His breathing was just as shallow as she remembered it, and his heart thumped a slow, steady beat.

Her hand lightly traced his partly exposed navel before drifting to the peak of a hipbone and she froze, unsure of what she was doing exactly. She thought of Ciel again and a pang of guilt rattled her, causing her to blink and draw her hand back. 'Don't,' her mind whispered, the good, proper English girl in her stopping her from doing what she wanted. Instead with a shaky breath, Elizabeth physically turned in her chair, her eyes landing on the man's face.

Scooting closer, she let the back of her hands press against the man's hollow cheek, gasping slightly at the softness. She couldn't feel any stubble on the stranger's face, leading her to believe that he was _much_ younger than he looked. Leaning ever closer, she took delight in running her fingers through what she rightly guessed to be silky hair, her thumb smoothing over slightly ruffled but thin eyebrows and then ghosting over creamy eyelids.

Letting out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, Elizabeth shook herself as she sat back. "Who are you?" she whispered in her defense, feeling giddy as she recalled one of her books. "A prince, perhaps? Have you come to whisk me away from my darling Ciel?" She frowned at her own pretty words and hugged herself.

"He wouldn't," she mumbled sadly.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, followed by Paula's mousy voice. Hiking her skirts and blinking away the melancholy from her face, Elizabeth trotted to the door and hastily ushered the servant in, turning the lock after her. Paula held a tray with a steaming teapot, biscuits, and a bowl of porridge and placed it on the bedside table, awaiting further instruction.

Sinking back into her chair, Elizabeth requested, "Stay and help me sit him up; it'll be easier to nurse him that way."

Nodding, Paula pulled the covers up to the man's chest before assisting her lady in the task. "We must be careful, my lady. The physician said he had a strained muscle in his back and a few broken ribs; we wouldn't want to undo the healing."

"Of course."

Slowly the two women managed to sit the guest up, propping him against fluffy pillows, neither of them noticing the small twinges of tension that passed through the man's face. When the task was done Elizabeth sat for a moment, contemplating what she wanted to do next. "…Paula, I'll – I'll see to his nutrition. Please wait outside. If anyone asks, tell them George and Denise are taking care of things."

With the smallest of smiles the delicate servant asked no questions, curtsied, and stepped out of the room. Elizabeth sighed with relief, a little surprised – if not a little suspicious – that her request didn't require any effort.

Eyeing the tray of food, the lady dismissed it as she focused on something she had yet to truly analyze. Cautiously, as if she were a little child doing something she ought not to do, she sat herself on the edge of the mattress, sidling up nice and close to the stranger and his alluring beauty. Taking her other glove off, she delicately turned the man's face toward her, cupping the side of his cheek for balance as her free fingers danced to his slightly parted lips. With a hitch in her breath, she marveled at how supple they were.

'I wonder…' her thought trailed. Ciel was pushed to the back of her mind as she went under some kind of spell, leaning closer and closer, the mattress underneath her dipping as she added more weight. Their heat fused, their noses barely touched and when she was just a breath away from tasting those pale lips for herself…

Abruptly a shock of red eyes opened, and Elizabeth screamed for her life.

* * *

It was such a fleeting noise, perhaps the shriek of bluebirds, but Ciel couldn't be certain. It came a second time but it was washed out, and as the earl turned to the soaked window he deduced it as being the horrid weather and wild animals. He went back to his work, scratching pen on parchment and overlooking some letters long overdue for reading.

The sound of something crashing came next, along with a yell that was far from any wild animal. It echoed a couple times more and Ciel expected an explanation to come bursting through his office doors, but Tanaka never came. No one did. There was a loud thump upstairs, and his heart started to hammer.

Reaching into his desk drawer he pulled out his pistol, ready and loaded. On slightly shaky legs he headed to the exit, quietly murmuring to himself to keep calm, telling himself that it wouldn't be a repeat of the past.

Nothing was amiss when he opened the doors to an empty hallway. He held his weapon close as he skirted down the carpeted and painting adorned path, carefully listening to any other sounds. When he neared the staircase his ears perked as several horrifying sounds echoed loudly, all seemingly coming from different directions.

'Find Elizabeth,' he told himself, quickly thinking of the time and where she usually spent the late afternoon. Thankfully he realized that the drawing room was on the same floor he currently resided, and he bolted as quietly as he could, only to find the room cold and empty.

It would be a fool's errand to check every room, Ciel was well aware. He hadn't heard a shriek that sounded like her yet, but then again, _they_ hadn't either. Another gurgling scream ripped through the hallway, making his spine shiver, and he ducked into a spare bedroom for cover, his mind scattered as he tried to think of a plan.

Save for the unexplained screams, the house was quiet. He couldn't hear his staff running, or chaos of any kind. His heart thumped in his ears, deafening him. He looked to the window, watching the sloshy rain for a moment, considering the idea of making a run for it and getting help. For an instant he thought of using the telephone, but the room he was in didn't have one. Ciel jumped when a rather large bang accompanied by an extremely terrifying scream echoed right over his head.

'That's where…'

Without too much thought Ciel dashed to the staircase and flew up the stairs to the third floor. Surely he hadn't picked up a killer…how could one man cause this much unseen chaos? he thought erratically, trying to make sense of it. When he reached the top of the stairs he froze in horror the moment his foot stepped onto the blood-soaked carpet.

A massacre.

Instinctively Ciel's arms shot out with the gun clasped tightly in his hands. The smell hit him as he took a step forward into the darkened hallway, his blue eyes wide with shock and fear. What was going on? Who broke into his mansion? _What_ had invaded his home?

He had to sidestep over ripped and minced pieces of his staff, and it caused his stomach to turn uncomfortably. Ciel shivered with a hardly suppressed cry as the bloodstained body of his elderly butler crossed his path, yet the boy willed himself to keep moving, a dark shadow tiptoeing behind him. Furniture that mainly consisted of small sofas, paintings and vases were all shattered and overturned. The creamy wallpaper was torn, hanging from the walls and coated with the red sticky fluid. Ciel bit his tongue and swallowed the bile that threatened to rise.

Finally he was able to set his sights on the guest bedroom a couple doors down. Despite his courage that had carried him this far, Ciel was shaking almost uncontrollably. There was no one to help him; everything since he'd reached the third floor had gone eerily silent. Coming to the half opened door that was oddly marked with five stained scratches, Ciel swallowed his nerves before thrusting himself weapon first into the room. He almost dropped his pistol.

"ELIZABETH-!"

* * *

A/N: …it kind of just gets worse from here…_like, seriously_ ((goes in hiding)) Oh, and **updates will be every other Sunday**! It'll give me time to finish up on the second part (I hope) if I space the chapters that are already done out like this. Hopefully that's fair...right? Thanks for reading, and I enjoy critiques/friendly feedback for breakfast om-nom-nom!


	2. Perch

Chapter Two

Perch

* * *

As the pistol fell to his side, Ciel's left hand flew to his mouth as his stomach emptied its contents. His knees buckled as he retched, tears spilling from his eyes due to the physical stress as well as the sight before him. Coughing with painful heaves, Ciel's jaw trembled and his eyes lifted, unable to look anywhere else other than his…his…

Bloody and half-gouged eyes stared at him upside down, the usually bright green hue dull and washed out. Her face was half gone, the muscles that made her smile everyday exposed to the air and bleeding. A once cheerful mouth hung open, stretched beyond normal capacity. Her delicate neck was nearly unrecognizable and her dress had been shredded to pieces, showing her undergarments, or what were left of them. Ciel sank to his knees as he unwillingly absorbed what he was looking at from her breasts down and he gagged again, dropping his weapon.

Images that were not just from the scene before him flew through his mind's eye, and for a couple moments he silently screamed, unable to comprehend what was already done and what was currently real.

_Licking slivers of red burned him, sampling his unblemished skin, drinking in his taste. 'More, more,' they chanted, laughing at his pain, showing him the horrors of reality. He screamed as they danced him through the house, outside and then back in again._

Dark tendrils suffocated him as Ciel shook to the point he thought he'd not be able to hold himself up any longer. His eyes frantically searched the room, his gaze falling upon the bed that wasn't supposed to be empty.

_Two figures he knew well oozed death, their eyes rolled back into their skulls, their mouths open with maggots and ashes. The bed's canopy blazed a bright orange hue, the perfect contrast to a midnight blue sky littered with happy, twinkling stars and an honest moon. _

An icy coldness clutched his chest and he gave out a choked sob. He didn't realize it when his hand dipped into blood, staining his skin and rings alike. He didn't even realize that there was another living being in the room with him.

A dripping wet hand caressed the side of his face, freezing Ciel as he hunched over the floor. The appendage slid to his ear, through his hair and down his exposed neck to creep across his shoulder, finally slithering down his back to cup his waist. A warm breath mixed with a low chuckle of a growl swirled against his ear. He was ruthlessly flipped onto his back before he was able to comprehend who he was dealing with.

Nightmares became real as Ciel stared at the stranger they'd taken in. Unnatural red eyes flared with danger and threats, small canines and clawed fingernails promised pain with every bite and swipe, and an unbalanced smile rendered him speechless.

The creature bent over him, sniffing his chest and licking his neck of blood and bile. He bit his earlobe and nibbled on his jaw, leaving Ciel trembling under his unexpected and sinful actions. His mind was a muddled mess and his hand shot out to the side, searching for something important.

"Im etiam ieiunium," the creature spoke, and even though the language wasn't entirely lost on Ciel, his mind didn't even bother to process the spoken words. "Quis vadum ego operor?"

The tips of his fingers brushed against something cool and hard, and with a desperation that made itself known through a loud cry, Ciel shoved himself back on the floor and shot at the creature above him with an earsplitting bang, blood splattering in every which direction. His heart hammered and Ciel couldn't control himself as he shot all the rounds he had until the gun was left clicking with a mocking emptiness.

Blood drooled out of the holes in the pale chest and the creature coughed up even more of the substance as one of the shots had gone through his throat. Ciel watched, still clutching the pistol for dear life to his breast as the being before him slumped onto its hands and knees from the multiple blows.

'H-he's not d-dead…he's not-!'

Piercing red eyes rose and immediately set on him, their owner's lips quirking into an amused leer. He jerked his head, producing a sickening cracking sound that made Ciel's stomach lurch even further before moving on all fours until he towered over the boy completely. He slapped the useless weapon out of Ciel's hands and stared dead center into those large blue eyes as he ran a hand to lightly curl around a bloody neck.

"Puteus?" he asked, watching his victim's expression carefully, "Es vos iens posco vestri _Deus?_"

Ciel swallowed thickly, knowing that he had only moments left to live. His mouth was dry and his stomach twisted so badly it threatened to explode. His heart was out of his control; _surely it had to burst soon?_ and he supposed fear's tight hold would continue gripping him even after his inevitable death. He couldn't breathe, and even though he only managed to understand the last half of what the creature asked, Ciel couldn't help the sudden and uncontrollable rage that surged through him with such a wrath he didn't even realize yelling with every last remnant of strength he possessed as the images of the past came to him once more.

"_THERE IS NO GOD!" _

He didn't notice red eyes widening at his outstanding outburst. The hand that was loosely wrapped around his neck traveled against his jaw to cup the side of his face, a clawed thumb tracing just underneath his right eye. "Valde puteus, tunc," the creature murmured softly. He leaned even closer to Ciel, licking his stained lips and letting warm breath ghost over the boy's face.

Ciel just barely registered his mind going numb. His awareness hit an unexplainable and dazed euphoria as the creature closed in on him. His eyes were open to their widest, and his whole body jolted as a fanged mouth descended over his own. The thumb that had been swiping just under his eye jabbed into the soft flesh at the same time and Ciel screamed into the mouth that covered his until everything he knew turned to shadow.

* * *

Sebastian scoured the entire area, taking every soul within the confined boundaries of the manor until he felt satisfied. Licking his lips and fingers with his bloodlust finally sated, the daemon reveled in the cool air and freezing rain that fell against his naked body. His claws and canines were out to their fullest under this forced disguise and they probably wouldn't retract for a while. He shifted his shoulders, growling at the budding wings just underneath the pathetically thin surface, twitching to break free.

Sighing, he stood in the falling water for a long time, thinking of any and everything. He sneered as he looked at the sky, glad to be out of _that _particular mess for the time being. His bare feet clawed at the ground, his undead heart longing for home, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to return for a while. The daemon chuckled halfheartedly at his predicament.

"Stranded in this ugly, defenseless form; how repulsive."

There was a small stream to the west of the territory and he wiped the grime and dirt from his body there, never-minding the unholy temperature that goose-bumped his fake skin. He licked his teeth clean, tasting the remnants of the souls he'd consumed, reveling in their lackluster yet satisfying flavors. Because of his duties he'd been on an empty stomach for years.

This reminded him that he hadn't been on the earth for a very long time as well. Sebastian thought back, searching his memory for the language he'd been talking in to that boy. "Latin," he remarked quietly to himself, chuckling when he remembered a particular event he'd caused during the time that language was most prevalent. Quite catastrophic, he recalled; he and many others had had a feast, weary of the long stretch of battle.

But this slaughter had nothing to do with simple hunger. No, the archangels had grown stronger, and he'd been beaten down without the smallest sliver of mercy. Yet however expected as it was, it burned a rage within the daemon. To return the favor was a bloodthirsty and diehard matter, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fulfill his wish any time soon.

So what was a daemon stuck on the earth, surrounded by humans intended to do? He supposed that he'd be safe here for now, and he could take some time to regain his strength. This stretch of terrain was off limits as a battleground, as settled many millennia ago. Yet as the daemon thought, he realized this was an open opportunity to devour as many souls as he could undetected, but…

Red eyes glimmered as he stared back at the large, empty house resting on the horizon. A heat pooled in his filled stomach, craving only one.

"_There is no God!"_

Sebastian shivered in delight, his mouth recalling perfectly what that tiny sample of the boy's soul had tasted like. It was the greatest pinnacle he'd ever stumbled upon among all the other mediocre souls he'd been devouring through his entire existence. The creature moaned with a breathy sigh so uncharacteristic of his kind as he lapped at the roof of his own mouth and along his teeth, searching for any leftover crumbs.

Who was to say that he couldn't opt to stay out of the fight and have fun for a little while? As long as he remained in the boundaries of the earth, he was guaranteed to stay undetected until someone earnestly searched for him. And as he glanced up at the cloudy sky once more with a distasteful snarl, he made up his mind and headed back to the hollow mansion.

…

The initial reason he had lashed out so viciously wasn't because he'd been extremely hungry. No, he reacted the way he did based on pride. What kind of human scum had _any_ right to be that close to him, an entirely superior being? That poor excuse for a girl deserved what she received.

The rest of the destruction and mindless slaughter had been caused by his own confusion and natural instinct to protect himself. He'd been in combat for so long; the silence of the earth and elevation of his strength compared to everything else around him was strange. His mind merely acted on its own without regard to the change in surroundings.

Stepping into the cluttered foyer of the large home, Sebastian inhaled the scent of death and drying blood with a pleasured breath. The cold of the outside world was beginning to drift into the mansion, comfortably settling into the nooks and crannies. The walls were splattered with the former occupants' liquid life, adding an extra dash of decoration which only a daemon could appreciate. But foregoing all his own personal touches, Sebastian headed up the once lavish staircase to where he'd left the boy.

His scent was heavy in this room, mingling with the three others who lay lifeless. Most of his fragrance wafted from the bed, which apparently he'd been brought to by his pitiful hosts when he'd passed out days before. But as Sebastian observed the room he'd unconsciously been housed in, he headed to the divan.

The boy who'd been brave enough to shoot him and declare his lack of faith was curled atop the blood soaked sheets. He was out cold, his tiny hands cupping the eye Sebastian had purposely plucked for his own personal amusement. It bled sluggishly now, not all at once as it did before, seeping through bony fingers. The boy's chest barely moved, but Sebastian could tell that he was still alive; blood didn't flow if one were dead.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Sebastian watched the boy's skin rise and fall; he listened to his fluttering heartbeat. His claws had withdrawn considerably once he'd calmed down, and he slid his hand against the slightly shivering form, a cold draft gliding through the window. Sebastian curiously felt fragile bones and skinny muscles until his black fingertips rested lightly over the boy's temple.

"How interesting," he mused in a whisper, his fingers ascending to tangle in unusual blue-grey locks. Delving further, Sebastian closed his eyes as he fed off the imaginary misery.

* * *

_Dressed in one of his childhood's nightgowns, white and frilly with adorable stitch work included, Ciel walked barefoot down the familiar, candlelit hallway to his study when someone roughly grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, nearly toppling him over. _

"_Father?" Ciel inquired, more or less flabbergasted to see his predecessor mere feet before him. The man before him was blurry and faded in some spots, melding with the darkened passage, but Ciel recognized him nonetheless. He held his ground in that dignified and friendly way, just as Ciel remembered him. However, a hard-set glare pinned on him. _

_Ciel suddenly found himself on the ground, the side of his face aflame. For all but a second, he noticed a pitch black cat watching him from an open doorway, its eyes curious and menacing. Coming back to his current situation, his father stood over him, seething with a rage he had never seen before. "What's the meaning of –" The collar of his nightgown was grabbed and he was harshly pulled forward with a strangled choke. _

"_What the hell are you doing? Why are you taking so bloody long?" the man demanded angrily, almost sadly. "Don't you care anymore?"_

_Just as he was about to reply with an answer he couldn't quite understand himself, Ciel heard the undeniable echoes of weeping. His father shook him violently and pushed him back to the ground again, but Ciel hardly registered the action as he looked past his unusually violent father to see his mother and aunt clutching one another, tears rolling down their alabaster cheeks. _

_The surreal yet all too real image of his deceased relatives was a shock. He didn't bother to pick himself up as his father walked to the crying women to comfort them. _

"_Have you forgotten, Ciel?" his father spat, the women curling around his frame. His mother and aunt wept even louder at his words, each of them casting sorrowful gazes at him, silently questioning him in the same way. _

"_But it was I –" Ciel tried to explain, finding himself unable to form a coherent thought. In a moment of fleeting clarity, he tried to reason himself to acknowledge that this was nothing but a dream, but he couldn't seem to rouse himself. He didn't dream of his parents or Aunt Angelina as much as he used to. _

_Just then, his father looked back up at him and Ciel staggered to his feet in what he could only describe as fear. The edges of his sight were starting to go dark, and a hole welled in his chest, leaving him feeling unbearably empty. Tears streamed down his father's face in a slow procession. _

"_You're not worthy of the Phantomhive name," came the chilling and undeniably true statement, and Ciel felt that rapidly growing emptiness rattle his whole being. The women's cries rose in a crescendo, and his vision was going dark, their fading figures, faces twisted with fear, going out of his reach. _

_Ciel urged his legs to run forward, but he could do nothing other than vainly grasp into the void black that inevitably slammed him back._

* * *

The earl woke with a silent gasp, his eyes opening wide in time to view the early morning sunshine filtering through lace curtains. Their shadows cast peaceful designs of flowers against the carpet, and Ciel relaxed as he stared at them, taking his time in controlling his heartbeat and breath.

Swallowing, Ciel curled under the comforters, reveling in their warmth which his mind could not provide. Early birds called one another listlessly and Ciel relaxed even further, his back nudging a sleeping Elizabeth behind him as he settled with a contented sigh.

Had he been drinking last night? He couldn't remember even the largest detail; the nightmare was so fresh and vivid. Yet drinking didn't fit right with Ciel, and he wondered about his last meal, if anything had tasted out of sorts, but he couldn't pinpoint anything specific.

Lifting the duvet, Ciel looked down at his body, expecting to see a mess. To his surprise, everything was clean and pressed, as fresh as it could possibly be. Nothing was soiled or stained with red among other obscene things, and the lord of the house let the blankets slip back into place. He bent his legs up to his chest and curved his spine, expecting pain, but only a pleasant stretch in muscles welcomed him.

Ciel let his mind drift as his eyes closed halfway. He breathed evenly, calmly, the lull of sleep begging him to cross into blissful unconsciousness. For a moment he followed the urge, just until he was on the cusp of it, balancing on a cliff he could throw himself from and know he'd be safe wherever he landed. But of course, he was derived of this luxury, too.

An odd scent drifted under his clean nose and his eyes unglazed. Almost dreamily he sampled the air again, the scent becoming an odor all at once. He made a muffled noise and slapped his hand to his nose to block the putrid smell as he sat up, searching the room.

It was spotless.

His heart nearly stopped.

'Please…please.' Ciel desperately searched the room for some spoiled rubbish, but the room was cleaner than ever. He tried to force his body not to move, to stay facing the window, but that inner instinct just _had_ to know, it _must_ be certain.

Elizabeth's flaxen and combed hair peeked from underneath the blanket. Her frame appeared normal and familiar enough, and nothing was stained red where she lay. Yet the odor persisted, causing Ciel to shift uncomfortably on his side of the bed. With a shaky breath, he reached under his pillow, slightly reassured when cool metal brushed against his skin. He kept his hand where it was, however, as the other slowly reached out.

Grasping the warm sheet, Ciel counted to three in his head, deciding to go through with his self-appointed mission, and the moment the third number echoed in his head, the blankets were ripped from his wife. Not a second later, Ciel lurched off the bed, pure bile splashing onto the floor.

Rotting…rotting flesh…silky and shiny intestines, scrambled tissue with slivers of white and black ruby colored blood and decay… 'Please, please, please-!'

He had to get out of here. This wasn't a nightmare. It was -

Mind rendered numb, Ciel pushed himself to his feet and vaulted to the door. A cold sweat had broken over his skin, his breaths were ragged and his heart throbbed erratically. The glass knob turned easily in his trembling hands and for a moment he saw the hallway. Then the stairs, followed by the front doors…his only way out.

His bare feet collided with the cold linoleum floor as he skidded into the foyer, meters away from freedom. Ciel gave a choked sob as his hands snaked around the large cylindrical handles, only for them to be torn away with a force that cleanly broke his left wrist.

Grunting in pain Ciel fell to his knees, his shaking frame stiffening as he was hauled to his feet again. A man he regretted to recognize stood before him, ill-dressed but as imposing and inauspicious as ever. Red eyes gleamed at him, matching perfectly with the amused smirk the creature wore. Unmoving despite his nerves going into complete hysteria, Ciel stood stock still as hands roamed down his arms, over his clavicle, twisting over his stomach and gripping his hips provocatively. The man eventually stooped down to his height, pinching his washed hair between long fingers, smoothing the back of his hand against his cheeks and sampling his neck with a curious tongue.

"You…" Ciel breathed as hot air pulsated over his exposed skin. His lips quivered, unable to speak as a hand cupped the side of his face gently, a thumb dragging his bottom lip down in some kind of inspection. The creature drew back in what appeared to be a moment of thought before he laughed to himself, brushing back the bangs covering Ciel's right eye.

He spoke in perfect English this time, making sure that the boy understood him. "Does it not ail you?" he asked Ciel, his fingertips lightly catching the bottom lashes. "How strong you are, holding back such tremendous pain."

Ciel couldn't help it when his knees buckled. Unfathomable pain suddenly coursed through the right side of his face and his entire body shook as if he were suffering a highly severe seizure. The man with raven hair and daemonic eyes caught him before he could fall completely, a warm hand supporting him from the small of his back. Blinking now, Ciel felt the gruesome sensation of his eyelid closing over nothing and his lower and upper eyelashes meshing together.

The creature moved above him as Ciel swallowed in his shock. Shuffling, searching for something that would undoubtedly be dear to the boy, his hand delved into a back pocket. A left eye wavered as the man clucked his tongue, bringing out an object.

Ciel wanted to scream. Scream until his throat was raw, until he lost his voice forever. He wanted to scream in anguish, in pain, in fear…in _anger._

_So much anger… _

…_snap._

"Get off me!" Ciel screeched, not caring who he was yelling at or the excruciating pain whose stifling grip he suffered in. He thrashed for all he was worth and ended up landing on his arse for all his troubles. The man stood back, watching him as he attempted to control himself.

The boy stood on unsteady feet after a couple attempts, his face enflamed with uncontrolled fury and hate. His right hand had been slapped over the empty socket, his remaining eye glaring unspoken threats as he tried to regain his breath. Slowly, he held his left hand out.

"_Give…it…back._"

Such venom; so much unbridled hatred. The creature merely stood there, basking in it as Ciel continued to fume, staring at him with such a spiteful glare. Neither truly understood the situation, neither cared. It was merely a sudden diversion, a struggle to win the game with no distinct rules or clear purpose.

"_Now!_"

His breath caught in his throat painfully as the creature advanced on him with such speed that Ciel didn't even register his back slamming into the double doors. Something cracked, and he wasn't certain whether it was him or the wood. Manic red eyes filled his immediate vision, but Ciel held onto his fleeting strength.

"Very well, then," the man spoke in careful English, his sharp canines on display. A tongue dragged across the stranger's lips, and the hold he had on Ciel tightened, squeezing the breath out of him until he whimpered like a frightened child. "But know this: you are _mine._"

A blue and red stained eye plunged forward before Ciel could utter a whisper of a word. The palm of the man's hand slammed into the right side of his face and the boy shrieked as the skin was stretched, ripping with an ugly sound. He couldn't decipher what was being said, but the man was saying something in a language he'd never heard before. His hands uselessly clawed at the creature's bare arms, struggling to get loose but to no avail.

Tears and blood ran down his face in torrents as Ciel writhed against the man, his ears picking up every little sound, every sickening squish. After what felt like an eternity, the creature shifted and Ciel slumped beside the door, thinking the horrid ordeal was finally over. Without warning, the heel of the hand still covering his eye _dug in_.

An explosion of pain bloomed as white hot needles surged into his torn wound. Ciel wailed, passing out a moment later underneath the enormous strain. His body went limp in the stranger's waiting arms.

Under the closed eyelid fresh with gore, a small orb of cream light expanded then retracted before disappearing altogether.

* * *

The days which followed were ones of relative silence. Sebastian walked about the manor, observing, cleaning, and making mental notes for future reference. He cast away what was left of his previous victims and restored the mansion to its former state. The daemon managed to find suiting clothes to better blend in for the time being, as many curious and scheduled visitors arrived throughout those few days. With some natural charm, Sebastian easily manipulated the men and women to turn around and be on their merry way.

The boy had been rewashed and tucked back into the now corpse-less bed. He slept for nearly a week.

At first Sebastian would watch the boy sleep, studying the passive process like never before. It was after he'd grown bored tampering with every dream that Sebastian granted the boy some mercy and decided to find out who exactly he had coupled himself with.

"Ciel Phantomhive," he murmured one drizzling afternoon. He was in what he presumed to be the boy's office. Papers were stacked in drawers and filing cabinets, documents of various sorts spread out over a large stained desk. A picture or two of the boy and blonde girl sat drably on the bottom of one of the large window's sills, curiously unimportant to the boy. Sebastian took particular interest in the many forms stamped with the logo "FuntomCo". Digging into the subject more, Sebastian smiled before neatly tucking every document back into its proper place.

Ready to investigate another room, Sebastian's hand brushed upon a book as he passed the large desk. Curious, he pulled the thick leather bound book out from some other volumes and flipped it open. A calendar was printed on the inside by months, and Sebastian turned to a tabbed page, assuming that it was the current month. Neat handwriting was scrawled under almost every date, most of the subject matter concerning shipments, meetings, and scheduled phone calls. A couple were circled, revealing their importance. One in particular was circled numerous times, frantically so, right smack dab in the middle of the month. Glancing at the first calendar he'd stumbled upon that lay neatly on the desk, Sebastian counted the days, realizing that this "big day" was only a week away.

Closing the agenda, Sebastian chuckled. "This should prove to be…interesting."

* * *

It was dark and Ciel could feel the bandages tightly coiled around half his face. A dull throbbing in his mutilated eye didn't bring him any serious pain, but as he fluttered his good eye open to his candlelit bedroom, his throat suddenly ached and his stomach groaned like dying man. Blinking, his head felt extremely heavy and the earl moaned weakly.

The clicking of the door was obscenely loud. Ciel shivered as a bank of cold air rushed him, and he watched with trepidation as a dark and tall figure walked up to his bedside. He trembled under the thick and neatly tucked in blankets but managed all the same to place a hard-set scowl on his face.

The creature revealed himself, an amused look hugging his expression. Red eyes observed him minutely before their owner commented, "You're finally awake."

Even from the start Ciel couldn't even begin to comprehend what this man…no, _monster_ wanted. Why wasn't he killed…_slaughtered_ like everyone else? What game was he playing…his goal, his purpose? Ciel glared daggers at the other.

"You've five seconds to explain yourself." His voice was the absolute opposite from his mangled body that appeared shriveled up in the thick comforters. The creature merely stared at him, clearly testing his patience. The boy's face went red. "_Four…!_"

The man chuckled; a hand with black fingernails was placed on his chest. "So demanding…you were frightened out of your mind only a couple days ago. Did the simple pluck of an eye change you so?"

He was toying with him, Ciel was certain. "_Three._"

Straightening, the man smiled pleasantly, purposely mocking him. "I've decided to stay here, in your most humble abode."

"_Get. Out._"

A finger tapped on a pointed chin. "I've decided it's to be a long-term stay, my dear…_Ciel._"

Said boy's knuckles had instantly gone white, most of his blood pooling in his face as he visibly seethed. "How dare a vile creature such as yourse-!"

"Daemon."

"…" That definitely pulled the boy for a loop. A single blue eye widened and petal-thin lips shook slightly. "…a w-what?"

The man sat on the edge of the bed, causing Ciel to scoot back, but he didn't get too far. "But if you'd rather have a name, you may call me Sebastian." A hand stretched out to take a small bony one wrapped in gauze, and the daemon brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly. The look drawn on Ciel's face revealed anger and confusion, yet he didn't pull away simply from sheer shock.

"Yet from your reaction, I'd think it best not to call you by _your _name," Sebastian continued, letting the fragile hand drop back to the bed as he leaned in closer, his fingers trailing up the boy's neck to cup the uninjured side of the earl's face. Ciel jerked at the familiar sensation, but words refused to leave his lips.

Red eyes blazed in the increasing darkness and Ciel couldn't look away. The fingers that rubbed against his skin and through the roots of his hair were comforting in their own sick way, and he began feeling sleepy.

"You're a caged bird now," the daemon was poetically saying as his eye started to droop, as his body grew heavy. "To sing upon request, my lovely little dove. Sing, sing to your heart's content until you find blissful slumber in your ivory coated cage…"

As his weary head fell upon the pillows, Ciel drifted.

* * *

A/N: Thank you very much for all your lovely comments and favs/alerts, I really appreciate them. Next chapter will be out on the 30th!


	3. Linger

Chapter Three

Linger

* * *

_Flaming red was all he could see. Heat licked at his face, burning it, crisping it. Yet he wasn't on fire like he thought. His legs were petrified to the spot on the freezing grass, his widened blue eyes hopelessly transfixed on the burning estate. _

_Shrills of all kinds rang in his ears, sounding much like the unsettling sound of nails on a chalkboard. His hands were frozen too, forcing him to listen to the horror before him. He watched as windows shattered. His focus was directed to the ground as something brushed against his leg. Glancing down, the earl was met with the curious yellow gaze of a black cat. _

"_Ciel…Ciel-!"_

_Suddenly whoever had cried out was suffocating him in a tight embrace, looking for his protection. Ciel instantly realized it was Elizabeth. He made a move to hold her, to comfort her, but his arms remained frozen. _

"_I-it's alright, Lizzy," he tried to comfort, not even caring about the fact that she was never present when this, this…happened. "I've got you."_

"_Ah-! Ciel!" Elizabeth shrieked as she was abruptly pulled closer to him. With perfect clarity, Ciel could see the tears of fear run down her face as a pistol was positioned at her temple, a finger on the trigger. _

_His heart clenched by a fist of panic, Ciel cried out, trying with all his might to move. Elizabeth cried harder as he did nothing. "Please, Ciel, do something-!" An ear piercing shot ran out. Ciel screamed as warmth hit his face. Elizabeth slumped to the burning ground. _

_Standing there as the flames started to lick up his own legs, Ciel found that he still couldn't move as his eyes transfixed on the gun that was clutched in his frozen hand, dirtied with more than just blood. _

_The cat swept against his leg again, and tearing his gaze from the horror in front of him, the earl sank down with a choked gasp as he gathered and cradled the tiny feline in his arms. _

* * *

The daemon was hovering over him when Ciel woke the following morning. A large smile was plastered to his pale lips as matching red eyes watched the boy plunge head first into awareness.

Ciel turned his back on the creature. "Go away," he said into the sheets.

"But are you not hungry?"

Ciel scoffed. "What are you, my butler?" He could smell a delicious aroma of food and he ignored it regardless of his stomach's protests. "Leave me."

The covers were suddenly ripped from his body and Ciel curled into himself as the room's coolness stabbed him. He held in a whimper as the daemon pulled him onto his back by the shoulder, instantly getting in his face. "Leave you to do what? Perish?" Sebastian ridiculed with a leer, and Ciel held his tongue.

Pulling back, the creature left Ciel to sit up by himself as he went to the small table by the windows. Pushing himself against the headboard until he was relatively comfy, Ciel curiously watched as Sebastian brought a small tray of food to the bedside. The smell was tantalizing and the earl's mouth watered.

"While you were recovering from your injuries, I took the time to learn a few things," Sebastian explained nonchalantly, as if he hadn't been the one to cause Ciel's injuries. He took a plate full of warm sausage, biscuits, and a small bowl of oatmeal and offered them to the boy. A single blue eye glared at him hatefully.

"Go rot in hell."

Sebastian chuckled. "I've spent plenty time doing that, thank you." He held out the food for a moment longer, and when Ciel didn't accept it he sighed, his humor all but lost. Placing the plate back on the side table he admitted quietly, "I know you wish to live, little _earl_."

Ignoring the fact that the daemon knew his true title, Ciel averted his gaze. A thousand questions were on the tip of his tongue, all pressing to slip between his teeth. But he held them back with a biting force. "Get out," he merely repeated.

Sebastian was fast. Ciel gagged, his head hitting the headboard as a hand crushed into his chest. The daemon half straddled him, his cerise eyes glowing with an unspoken threat that had Ciel's heart pumping. Yet with a twitch of his face, he set his expression to what he hoped would be void of emotion.

"I wonder if this stubbornness was reserved for me," the daemon spoke, "or have you carried this mannerism all your life?" He searched Ciel's face for an answer, but he was simply awarded a remnant of determination. Sebastian smirked, moving off the bed and getting the food. "Now eat…you have much work to do, little dove."

Reluctantly, Ciel took the offered plate.

* * *

There was no denying Sebastian was smart. It was obvious that Ciel wouldn't be able to outwit him in leaving or anything else for that matter. The daemon was sharp, having somehow blended in with the current society in which Ciel lived. He prepared the right food, provided proper behavior and perfect treatment. If Ciel were one for denial, he may as well call Sebastian the new family butler.

Yet that wasn't the case. Ciel wouldn't become delusional because he understood – if not wholly accepted – this new and sudden reality. A daemon of hell had taken residence in his home. He had killed the entire household save the master. His intentions were unclear.

_Very unclear. _

Why leave him alive? To learn human ways and take full responsibility of him as if he were a child again…it was absurdly puzzling. Ciel wouldn't admit it, but he couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around a shred of what the daemon was planning. Was it a sign that the world was to end soon? Or had hell simply become boring? Such endless possibilities…

Ciel glowered at the shipping parchment before him. To make the situation even worse, Sebastian had given him his company work. There was a mention of keeping up appearances, but Ciel didn't understand why.

"_For the past week, I have taken the liberty to inform all your guests that you are unavailable due to a severe illness you've been recovering from. As for the daily chores, I have also taken the responsibility upon myself to upkeep your most lovely home in order to evade further suspicion from those you're acquainted with."_

So the daemon said, so the daemon did.

_Why…why…why!?_

His pen's tip snapped and Ciel sighed with frustration. Despite Sebastian miraculously bringing his physical health back up to shape, his mind was constantly churning. The mourning of his staff was devastatingly fresh. The thought of Elizabeth, his wife, his cousin, _his friend_, was earth-shattering. He didn't want to accept what had happened, much like the similar past events. Such devastation rearing its ugly head in his life twice was too much to bear, but Ciel knew he couldn't buckle under the pressure.

He had to stay strong, he had to figure a way out, and he had to –

"Mreow~"

Ciel flinched at the noise, his gaze spastically searching the room until he caught the sight of a familiar black cat. Where he'd seen it, Ciel couldn't recall. The small animal was on the floor before it jumped effortlessly onto his desk, purring. The earl's nose tickled instantly, and he pushed back. Yet the feline advanced, hopping onto his lap. Ciel was about to shove it off with a sneeze, but something else caught his eye.

The walls were oozing blood. Slowly the thick substance dripped, staining the walls and carpet. There was no noise as Ciel stared, constantly blinking his eye as if it would make the image go away. When it didn't, he scooted his chair back further to the windows, unconsciously seizing the cat in his arms, his allergies all but gone.

A moaning noise followed by light scratches on the door caused his heart to beat faster. Ciel eyed his desk drawer with the thought of a pistol on hand, but remembered that it wasn't there anymore. Loud bangs boomed on the door now, and the blood was dripping faster, Ciel's breath keeping tempo. The cat mewled in his lap and licked his hand as if to reassure him.

As he expected, the door banged open a few moments later and a sea of red liquid gushed into his office, the stream carrying in it sickening objects that made Ciel's stomach churn with disgust. He raised his feet up to his chair so he sat like a sad child, his only means of escape gone; he couldn't yell for anyone. The moaning continued, but now Ciel couldn't pinpoint its source. But then he noticed something underneath the rising blood.

His pulse pounded loudly in his ears and Ciel clutched the cat tighter, fearing what was inevitably coming for him. The feline hissed at the thing in the liquid below, swiping at the air as it drew closer. Ciel thought of hopping to his desk and wading through the stream as a last ditch effort but the dark figure was starting to surface. Ciel froze in horror.

Rising from the sea of blood was his mother and father, sewn together. Their mismatched eyes stared blankly at him as their hands reached out to grasp him. It was then that Ciel noticed other figures under the stream coming towards him, and he recoiled as far back into the chair as he could.

His staff was also melded together as they broke the surface. His aunt and wife were put together, and as one, all the creatures wailed terribly, reaching out with crippled fingers, eventually touching his face, his arms, his hair. Ciel curled in with a whimper with the cat. He was hallucinating, none of it was real.

One of the creatures caught his ankle and Ciel tried to wrench it away. The cat hissed at them with a snarl, but it was ignored. Instead the mass of disfigured relatives turned to clawing at Ciel, reaching for his legs and arms, clearly trying to get him off the large chair and in the nasty liquid with them. Ciel wordlessly protested as he attempted to fight them off, but they proved to be stronger. Once his shoes dipped into the stream, knocking against torn body parts, the rest of his body followed and Ciel screamed as he went under. Hands were over him, tearing the cat he found so suddenly precious away from him. They kept him down, sunken in the sea of blood until he coughed, the thick liquid spilling into his lungs with a painful snap.

…

Ciel blinked with a startled gasp and the redness disappeared. He sat in his chair behind his desk in a cold sweat, his breath ragged. The cat was nowhere to be found, and the mansion was silent. Running a hand through his hair Ciel trembled. He closed his eye and attempted to soothe himself, but his meditation was short lived.

A knock on the door surprised him and Ciel pulled himself to his desk as if to appear engrossed in his work. Taking a deep breath, the earl became determined not to show that Sebastian's twisted game had affected him.

The daemon let himself in without an invitation and Ciel didn't say anything. The creature sidled up to his desk, as if lazily checking his handiwork. Red eyes burned a hole through his being, but Ciel refused to look up just yet, still shaking off the remnants of the hellish hallucination. When he felt that he had composed himself enough, the earl glared at the other.

"What do you want now?"

Sebastian smirked with a shrug. "There was a phone call for you."

"From whom?"

"Scotland Yard, I believe."

Ciel stood abruptly. "What? When?" The phones had been kept away from him on purpose, why would Sebastian venture to tell him who had called? "What did they have to say?"

The daemon's smug expression clearly wasn't about to give any direct answers. "A little while ago, I told them you were unavailable, like everyone else."

His hands had clenched into frustrated fists. "Then why are you bothering to tell me such things?" he spat. "I understand the situation you've put me in."

Sebastian looked surprised, but Ciel knew it was a farce. "Really now?"

"Yes, really." Pushing off his desk, Ciel rounded to the front until he stood before the daemon. His eye narrowed dangerously as he watched that smile slip right back into place. "And if you think _any_ of this is going to break me down, you've got another thing coming, you despicable monster." With his chin held defiantly high, Ciel turned on his heel, intent on leaving.

A large hand caught his upper arm, dragging him back. Ciel held in a whimper of pain and surprise as Sebastian tugged him forward, and he in turn dug his heels into the carpet. The daemon snarled lightly as he slammed the earl into the edge of the desk, his warm breath swirling against Ciel's neck.

"My little dove…" Sebastian whispered lowly as he cradled the side of the boy's head, and Ciel gave into impulse and spat in his face. The daemon merely laughed, wiping the spittle away before crashing his lips into Ciel's. "Your beak is so sharp," he murmured before forcing his tongue between guarded lips and teeth.

Ciel grunted and struggled for all he was worth, but Sebastian held his hands down by his sides and pressed the small of his back further into the blunt wood. The daemon kissed him hard and Ciel whined in protest, his teeth attempting to bite down on the foreign tongue that roamed his orifice shamelessly, but to no avail. He squeezed his eye shut tightly, trying to negate the unpleasant feeling, but it snapped right back open as a sliver of pleasure shot through his body without his consent as the tip of Sebastian's tongue traced the upper ridges of his mouth to the front of his teeth. He couldn't help the moan that slipped from his lips, and as if on cue, Sebastian released him. Completely breathless, Ciel dropped to his knees.

The daemon licked his lips much like a cat as he observed his victim with a look Ciel couldn't decipher before falling to one knee and delicately tilting the boy's head up. Red eyes pierced through him before Sebastian claimed his lips again, but a little more gently this time. Ciel wriggled against the unwanted contact, but stopped completely as a curious heat spread through his mouth and down his throat. It tasted of nothing and it left a content feeling in the earl. His eyelid drooping, Ciel allowed Sebastian to continue whatever it was that he was doing as his body sagged against his desk.

"Wha…what are you – ah!" Ciel started to question when the daemon broke away, but he was stopped as an intense coldness shook his body a moment later. He curled into himself, feeling weak and tired, his whole body freezing from the inside out. He slumped to his side as the chill swirled with the warmth.

As he blinked through the haze he found that the cat from earlier was nuzzling his face and licking his nose, trying its best to comfort him.

* * *

Sebastian sighed as he watched sleet fall from the grey sky once more. His fingers tapped impatiently against his trousers, willing the day to start. The sun had yet to rise behind the low clouds and banish the cold weather away, but Sebastian supposed the cool temperatures would stay in any case. His red eyes surveyed the bland garden as he sat on the settee by the window, as Ciel slept comfortably.

The grandfather clock in the corner ticked evenly, but it never sped up like the daemon wanted it to. Time was far from his control, Sebastian knew, but even he could dream.

Ciel turned under the covers with a small rustle, nothing more. Sebastian had exhausted the boy's dreams for tonight…for the past week. The day promised much more for his little dove, and the daemon couldn't wait.

It would be such a splendid day for both of them.

* * *

"What's this?" Ciel questioned wide-eyed as he stared at himself in the mirror. The bandages around his head and right eye had finally been clipped away, and the sight before him wasn't one he was familiar with. Miraculously his plucked eye had fully healed – control and all – and didn't even hurt anymore. But this wasn't what Ciel was concerning himself with. "What's this mark?" He turned to the daemon standing behind him. "Explain yourself!"

Sebastian gazed at him as if admiring him and Ciel's fury blazed yet he said nothing. "It's exactly as you suspect, little dove." He lightly spun the boy around so he refaced the mirror, his long fingers gently pulling at the skin underneath Ciel's eye. "Isn't it beautiful?"

With a growl Ciel slapped the daemon's hand away. He watched Sebastian's reflection in the looking glass. "It's disgusting. Get rid of it."

Red eyes blazed like fire. "I can't."

"What the bloody hell do you mean, 'I can't'?!" Ciel exclaimed, his hands balling into fists, the urge to lash out very tempting. "I _demand_ you to take it off!" For emphasis and partly because he relinquished his self-control, Ciel spun on his heel. A patch of red brightened across Sebastian's pale complexion and a swell of triumph rose in the boy.

Yet when it became apparent that Sebastian was not amused, Ciel's stomach dropped. The daemon pressed him back against the mirror, a hand snaking threateningly around his thin neck. He expected Sebastian to yell, but a calm, deep tone whispered into his ear.

"My little dove's been refining his beak and ruffling his feathers, hasn't he?" When Ciel gave no response, he continued. "As much as I enjoy your spirit, it would be quite a pity to clip your wings." Ciel caught his breath as Sebastian squeezed in warning, before stepping away altogether. A sudden smile graced the daemon's lips. "Now, let us finish getting you dressed; there's much to do today."

Curling his lip and glaring daggers at the other, Ciel said nothing as Sebastian went to gather his clothes like a house servant. His right eye throbbed a little, but not painfully. Turning back to the mirror, he silently examined the odd mark, noting its pentagram shape and violet hue. "This isn't a contract, is it?" he questioned lowly as the daemon returned, clothes folded over his arm.

Sebastian's head tilted, that carefree smile still in place, but Ciel could see the cruelty underneath the façade. "Of course not," he replied with a chuckle, "your consent would be needed for something of that sort, naturally."

* * *

For the rest of the morning Ciel had been forcibly confined to his office. Sebastian had drawn the curtains which overlooked the front driveway and had lightheartedly suggested that the boy do his company work. Knowing that he wasn't about to be given the option of escape, Ciel begrudgingly did as he was told, just knowing that the daemon was planning something foul.

Would it be another hallucination combining the recent events and long ago past? Would he conjure something so unfathomable that it would truly scare him witless? Or was the daemon playing the punishing game that allowed Ciel to summon his own nightmares without any outside help other than his imagination? Either route wasn't one Ciel looked forward to, and he felt constantly on edge as the clock continued to tick.

By noon the earl sat exasperated in his large chair. The paperwork was all but forgotten, speckled across his desk messily. He took to thinking of the mark present in his eye, eventually concluding that it was probably something the equivalent of a tracking device should he ever get loose. At the mere thought, Ciel growled; how dare that _creature_ treat him like some wild animal!

Ready to set off in an angry tangent, Ciel's attention was abruptly drawn to the closed off windows when he heard a familiar yet frightening sound. Horse hooves stamping at the gravel path and the creaking of a carriage met his ears. Low and undistinguishable voices could be heard and Ciel frantically counted the days that had passed in his head as he marched to his desk, pushing the numerous documents away as he searched for his agenda, eventually finding it tucked in its usual spot.

With shaking fingers Ciel pinpointed the correct date. He felt sick as he read his own handwriting and he quickly slapped the datebook close, trying to will the words he had seen away. His eye landed on the door, and without a second thought, Ciel darted to the windows, split the curtains apart, his hands fumbling for the latch –

A hand over his mouth drew him back, the other clasping his own away from the untouched window. Yet Sebastian didn't pull the curtains together, allowing him to watch the footman hop down and walk to the carriage door. His heart beat sluggishly, the daemon's warmth against his back unsettling.

"They mean so much to you, don't they, little dove?" Sebastian murmured to him, casually watching the four occupants exit the compartment. The horses below whinnied without obvious cause, kicking up dust with their hooves as the footman went to calm them. "It would be most improper for you not to greet them, wouldn't it?"

The curtains swished against his face like silk and before Ciel could utter a single objection, Sebastian was already directing him through the hall and to the staircase. He was properly led down the carpeted steps and left at the bottom like a dog told to heel. Standing there dumbfounded, Ciel's head began to spin as everything once again started to move too fast and spiral out of his control. He watched helplessly as the daemon moved to the entrance, stepping outside for a moment to greet his guests before leading them inside. He could hear familiar voices questioning the odd situation, and in turn, Ciel felt even more frozen to the spot. Finally, after what seemed to be many hours of waiting for Sebastian's return, the double doors reopened, bright afternoon sunshine spilling into the large foyer.

His mansion felt extremely hollow and the earl felt awfully tiny in comparison. He stood in the appropriate attire for the occasion of seeing his family, all neat and tidy. Yet he felt anything but. Ciel wanted to move forward, but knew he couldn't. Instead, his relatives came to him, surrounded him, questioned him. The daemon remained by the leisurely closing doors.

Tearing his gaze away from the vanishing sunlight, Ciel felt his throat tighten as his four guests all wore faces of deep concern, already certain that something was terribly askew. Frances, ditching her petty strictness quickly interrogated in an inconspicuous voice, "Where is my daughter? And what's with this eye patch; what happened, Ciel?"

Alexis asked similar questions, while Edward and his wife stared at him with unease, all of them appearing uncomfortable as Ciel remained mute, absorbing their pointless inquiries.

"Where's Elizabeth, where's Tanaka?"

"Has something happened, where are your servants?"

"Please, cousin, tell us."

"Answer us right now, Ciel Phantomhive, God so help me!" Frances hissed at him, her voice breaking as she boldly grabbed at his jacket, fury burning in her desperate eyes. Ciel couldn't help but shudder in her grasp as a cool wave of air washed over all of them.

'What are you waiting for?' he thought hopelessly, feeling despicable for thinking such a thing, but he wasn't about to deny what was obvious going to happen. His relatives' voices escalated past mere whispers as they continued to interrogate him, begging him for a response. The atmosphere grew darker and darker around them, and they all sensed it.

Frances seized his hand. "Come, Ciel. We're leaving," she said, her voice a mix of frustration and endless distress as her heart sunk in realization. Her skin was bristled; something terrible had become of her daughter, and her nephew was too shocked to say anything. But she had to stay strong, what else could she do? Pulling the boy forward with hardly any effort, she nodded to her husband, and he in turn placed a cautious hand over his fencing blade he'd brought for the meant-to-be-happy occasion.

Bunched together for safety, the family moved quickly to the doors, only to find that they were locked. "Butler!" Alexis called out as strongly as he could, his hand fully grasping the hilt of his sword. Frances pushed Ciel back to stand by Edward's frightened wife as she and her son moved to stand by the eldest man, defending her nephew and daughter-in-law.

An unnervingly hollow echo responded and the group tensed, expecting some kind of strike. Ciel's back pressed against the doors, his heart thumping slowly in his stomach as he waited for the inevitable. He watched as his aunt, uncle and cousin moved forward, keeping him and Edward's wife out of harm's way, and he wanted to warn them to stay close, but his lips were frozen.

It was Edward's wife who screamed first, a fresh spray of blood flicking onto him, yet Ciel didn't flinch. Hearing her distressed shriek, Edward was the first to respond, only to end in a similar fate that was twice as gruesome the second he turned. The earl sunk to the floor slowly, his eye wide and his chest tight. Crying out as their only son fell, Frances and Alexis immediately forgot their posts and ran to the remains with choked sobs. The lone blade was dropped unintentionally out of shock.

'Don't turn your-!' An instant later, his uncle and aunt perished, bowed over their dear, disfigured son. Ciel lowered his gaze to the freshly stained floor, his home silent once again save his fluttering heart. He didn't look up when a pair of shoes came into his line of sight.

"My little dove didn't even bat an eye," the daemon remarked, stooping to his level and lifting his chin to gaze into his dull stare. A smile twisted on Sebastian's face. "What a pity, I was hoping for a reaction. You did not love them, did you?"

Ciel remained silent on the outside, but he was screaming like a madman in the inside. Anger burned like the fires of hell, twisting and turning, growing every moment he stared at the creature before him. What had broken inside was festering badly and Ciel didn't know what to do, how to properly vent.

Everything was gone now. Everything he held dear.

_Everything. _

A hand was smoothing across his face, gently tugging away the temporary eye patch that had been given to him, and the daemon admired it for some time before scooping him up into his arms like a little child. Ciel heard him coo into his ear words of fake endearment, and he continued his quietism as the daemon carried him upstairs and to the washroom. There he was undressed and touched indecently while Sebastian wiped the blood away, but the boy said nothing, did nothing, allowing himself to become a doll.

Yet his mind's wheels continuously churned; thinking, wondering, and reasoning, but never giving in to what had happened. He would never give in, no matter the circumstances. He would continue living as long as Sebastian allowed him; he would fight until the end.

"What is it that you want?" he finally mumbled as Sebastian laid him down on the comfy mattress, pulling up the blankets. Ciel sighed into the pillows, not caring that it was only mid-afternoon as the daemon went to close the curtains, darkening the room. "Tell me."

He'd been expecting some kind of smirk, but Sebastian presented him with a frown, if not an annoyed look. The daemon didn't appear willing to answer his simple and fair question, but he sat on the edge of the bed anyway, leaning over the earl, hot breath swirling through his hair as he whispered with a kiss, "When they find me, I shall tell all."

* * *

A/N: So here's the third chapter, hope you enjoyed! Please review, feedback is always appreciated :D Next chapter will be out on Jan. 13th!


	4. Love

Chapter Four

Love

* * *

The next days, weeks, months, years – Ciel couldn't tell – passed in a large blur. He was restricted to his own home, to walk the long and empty hallways by himself, sometimes in the presence of the daemon which dwelled within his mansion. He continued monotonously with his company work and various bills, but no matter how many times he wrote the correct date on the paperwork, he never truly could recall the passage of time.

Sebastian made him proper meals, but his health only deteriorated. The daemon noticed and pointed it out a couple times, but never truly enforced change in his eating habits. Somehow he'd reduced himself to a meal a day. Ciel's already pale complexion was nearly white, and his physical shape had shrunken considerably. He felt constantly tired and weak, though he'd never admit such things out loud.

The terrors of the recent massacres hounded him almost every evening. Twisted dreams of his own would come to him at night, and carefully fabricated hallucinations from Sebastian would taunt him by day. He was a slowly hollowing shell of his former self, and as tempting as it was to beg the daemon to finish him off, or even to jump from one of the second story balconies, Ciel refused to give in to such pesky wishes; never would he take the easy way out. A spark of strength still flickered in his being, and he wasn't about to let it go.

All phone calls and paper mail save company work and bills were evaded from him. Ciel didn't know whether or not Sebastian was responding to anything from the outside world, and even if he wasn't, no one came to the manor to investigate his sudden calm. The only connection Ciel had left was his company, but even that was closely monitored by the daemon, and Ciel knew with each passing day his involvement was declining.

He often wondered about the Queen and her letters addressing Watchdog business. Surely she'd be the first to react to his disappearance; he was an important vessel to her Highness. And even his status should give other nobles reason to worry, especially with the sudden lack of Elizabeth's involvement. Would anyone ever notice the Phantomhives' silence?

"There were visitors today; nicely dressed gentlemen," Sebastian remarked one evening as the earl climbed into bed. Ciel regularly pondered if the daemon had unconsciously taken on the butler's role, what with the perfect and scheduled meals and accompanying him to bed as well as assisting him with various tasks.

Ciel 'hmphed', dragging the blankets to his waist. He let his head flop against the pillows with a sigh, his mismatched eyes glancing at the door. "Let me guess, you turned them away?"

"No, actually. I gave them a tour of sorts."

A tremor of surprise ran through the boy, but he didn't let it show on his face. "A tour as in…?" he ventured carefully, hoping Sebastian would take the bait. Yet instead of answering him right away, Ciel watched with shock as the daemon began undressing. "Wh-what do you think you're doing?" he demanded, shuffling to the other side of the bed as the daemon invited himself into the divan, wearing nothing but cotton shorts.

He was about to jump from the mattress when his wrist was caught. Sebastian pulled Ciel back into the softness with a lopsided smirk. "Is my resilient little dove afraid of playful cats now?"

"That de-depends on what you mean by 'playful'," Ciel managed to retort albeit shakily, failing at escape as an arm looped around his waist, drawing and trapping him down. Sebastian collapsed by him, holding him close like a lover, pulling the covers over them both. Ciel pushed weakly at the chest against him. "Stop this. Explain yourself."

Sebastian chuckled as if recalling a funny memory. "They were a persistent bunch, you know," he said, continuing their previous conversation. "It appears that your family has become quite rumored in society, little dove."

That received Ciel's full attention. Ignoring the body curled around him, the boy sharply asked, "What do you mean?" Everything concerning society had been cut off from him. "And don't skirt the subject," he warned as an afterthought.

"Hmm," the daemon mused, running a hand through the boy's silky hair, blatantly taking his time and disregarding Ciel's glare. "The whole country seems to be curious about who murdered you and your family. The papers' headlines have recently read 'The Phantomhive Curse'."

Ciel's lips twitched in anger as Sebastian spoke nonchalantly about such a serious matter. The urge to throttle the creature beside him was very tempting, but the boy knew it would be a lost cause in the end. Instead he tried to nudge his way out of the daemon's grasp, but Sebastian merely pulled him in closer. "And who's fault do you think that is?" he vehemently mumbled.

The creature smoothed his hair back, shifting so their legs touched. "Now, now, it's no time to get your feathers all ruffled, little one," Sebastian tut with a soft chortle. "You've had a tiring day and must get your rest."

Tensing at the daemon's words, Ciel tried not to think that Sebastian had something horrific in store for him on the morrow. Letting his eyes droop, he quietly requested, "Tell me more."

Sebastian smiled down at the boy, amused by the unexpected tone. "Tomorrow, I promise. Now sleep, you've had a long day."

The daemon's long fingers continued to stroke the back of his head soothingly and down to the base of his neck, lulling Ciel into slumber. Succumbing to sleep, Ciel relaxed completely, Sebastian's comforting scent drifting along with him into the darkness.

* * *

Ciel woke the next morning with a start, his body bent nearly in half as he curled his knees to his chest, attempting to calm his breaths. Soft sunrays bathed his room, giving it a peaceful and feathery atmosphere compared to the one in his dream. Shivering the last of his nerves away, Ciel slid out of bed to face the day.

Glancing at the bedside clock, the earl took note that it was a quarter after eight, and Sebastian wasn't present like he usually was. With a sigh of relief that quickly bled with anxiousness, Ciel darted to the washroom and rinsed his body. Ever since the last of his relatives had been murdered, the daemon had taken a fancy to washing him himself. To say the least, it was humiliating.

Combing his hair into place, he was about to go back into his room to fetch some clothes, but he was stopped short as he ran into a larger figure. Stepping back calmly, Ciel glared at the daemon. "Move aside," he ordered, holding his chin high. Sebastian huffed with a smirk, crossing his arms.

"My, my…" Sebastian bent down, gently grasping Ciel by the collar of his nightshirt and tugging him forward, the tops of his black tipped fingers ghosting over the exposed skin near his neck. "You should know by now that I've grown to enjoy dressing you."

With a scoff Ciel slapped the offending hands away, purposely butting the other in the shoulder as he walked back into his room. "I can clothe myself, thank you," he reminded. "I'm not some object you can play dress up with, you know."

Holding back a reply that would inform the boy that he was closer to the truth than he probably thought, Sebastian trailed Ciel to the wardrobe where the earl was choosing a waistcoat and some slacks. Pressing up against the boy's back and feeling him tense, Sebastian pulled out a matching coat and necktie.

"…must you do that?" Ciel asked without facing him, his teeth clenched in frustration.

Grinning, Sebastian teasingly ran a finger down the boy's spine to firmly grasp a hip, delighting in the earl's hardly suppressed shiver. "Do what?"

As he expected, Ciel whipped around, red in the face, but not solely from anger. "Don't play coy, you monster! You know what I mean."

Catching the boy off guard, Sebastian firmly and quickly snaked an arm around Ciel's waist, pulling him forward until he crashed into the daemon's body. The clothes that the earl had been holding fell to the floor silently, Ciel's breath hitching the only sound as Sebastian's familiar warm breath swirled against his ear.

"It is only in my nature to touch, little dove," he whispered, a hand pressing further into the small of Ciel's back, the boy unable to hold in a whimper as their bodies rubbed. "And I think you'll find that your body agrees…"

"_Dis-disgusting-!_" Ciel shrieked as his senses finally caught up with him. He jerked back, his hand flying to cuff Sebastian's face, consequence free. Small but hasty steps were taken back until he hit the wardrobe. His face was painted red and Sebastian chuckled silently as he took in his flustered state. "Stay away from me – don't touch me!"

With a half-dejected sigh, Sebastian bent down and scooped the boy's fallen clothes up, depositing all of them on the large bed. His red eyes reflected a temporary defeat, but Ciel wasn't about to let his guard down as he rounded the room until his bed was between him and the daemon. Tension filled the air for a moment before Sebastian smiled brightly. "What would you like for breakfast this morning?"

Gripping the sheets as if they would keep his sanity grounded, Ciel grunted, "I'm not hungry."

The daemon's head tilted quizzically. "I truly must insist–"

"Why the bloody hell do you even care?" Ciel interrogated with a snarl, his frustration and angry confusion finally bubbling over when even he least expected it to. Without thinking, he skirted the bed to the daemon and drew his fist back. The impact left him crying out in pain, and he fell to his knees. "Why?" he demanded, his voice choking up, though he was far from crying. "Why keep me alive and not anyone else? What the hell are you here for?" Hovering over the floor, Ciel noticed he was shaking. He let out half a laugh. "Certainly you're not here to make me breakfast, how absurd."

_I'm breaking…he's breaking me…_

Ciel flinched despite how fully aware he was as hands firmly clutched his torso and heaved him up until he sat on the edge of his bed. Sebastian knelt before him, his pale hands on his knees. With mismatched eyes, Ciel stared at him expectantly, his patience wearing thin.

"You are weak, my little earl," Sebastian said, a genuine look of concern on his face. "You need to eat properly."

"Tell me wh–"

A long finger was placed over his lips, effectively silencing Ciel. His large eyes drooped tiredly, suspiciously. "Do you prefer something warm, like porridge or oatcakes? Should I slice up some fresh fruit? I promise it'll taste delicious." His bottom lip was smoothly traced, and for a moment Ciel could taste the sweet juices of strawberries and melon.

Without knowing it, Sebastian had pulled his hand away, and watched as Ciel fantasized for a moment before realizing where he was. The daemon held in a chuckle as the boy's stomach growled in protest. Hugging himself and pulling his knees together, Ciel finally relented. "Make what you wish."

"Hm." Standing up, Sebastian eyed the boy for a moment. Leaning back down, he tilted Ciel's chin, forcing their red and blue eyes to meet. Sensing the boy's trembling lips, Sebastian sealed their mouths together for all but a second. Pulling away to meet the boy's hateful glare and flushed face, he said quietly, "I'll have you sing to me yet, little dove, and I won't even have to ask."

He left without another word, leaving a disarrayed Ciel on the bed to dress himself, just as he wanted.

* * *

Pieces of cool and sweet fruit slid down his throat with a freshness Ciel never thought he'd experience again. For a moment he felt all the bad slip away; his body and mind were renewed and clean, he felt at peace. His stomach didn't even repel against the food as it settled, and for that, he was grateful.

A sliver of motion as a bird flickered by the window brought him out of his wonderment, and as he scooted his chair back, Ciel drew Sebastian's attention.

"Do you require anything else? More tea or perhaps sausage?"

Ignoring the daemon's half-hearted question, Ciel merely replied as he stood, "I'll be in my office." Sebastian did not follow.

For the rest of the morning Ciel worked undisturbed by the daemon. The same couldn't be said for his own lack of focus, and the young earl found himself questioning the whole point of continuing his company work. He'd have to force Sebastian to explain those headlines he'd been talking about earlier, as his imagination had been set loose ever since. Did the whole of London think of him and his family to be dead? What did the Queen think? Surely either her Highness or Scotland Yard would send an investigation, right?

Glancing at his calendar, Ciel counted the days and his heart started to thump slowly.

What if an investigation had already been carried out without his knowing? What if Sebastian had…?

Cradling his head in his hands, Ciel groaned, trying with all his might to see his situation optimistically. Sadly, it was a losing battle.

The afternoon slowly crept by, the sun's shadows moving about the room. Sebastian brought him a pointless lunch around two, but Ciel managed to down his tea and eat half a sandwich. Pushing the plate away from himself, the boy could sense a silent inquiry from the daemon, but Sebastian wisely decided to hold his tongue and left him alone.

Signing his name on a bill as the clock struck five, Ciel sighed, leaning back into his plush chair. The manor was silent save the clock's continuous ticking and the early winter winds outside that lightly rattled the windows. His stomach growled in discomfort and Ciel moved to the door to stretch his legs, contemplating what to do. He could go to the library, but the thought was unpleasing. He certainly didn't want to stay in his office.

_Routine, routine, routine. _

Exhaling, Ciel walked out, silently closing the door behind him. The hallway was dimly lit with candles Sebastian had ignited, everything was neat and orderly. He could go to his room or the kitchen, but his feet led him toward the stairs. His eyes watched the dark shadows as he moved, pretty certain Sebastian was lurking within them, observing him.

'Ignore him', the earl told himself, halting at the top of the staircase, his hand resting on the varnished railing. The foyer below had been cleaned of his dear relatives and was lit with a warm glow. The two windows by the large double doors revealed the world's darkness, a few snow flurries brushing against the glass. Watching those tiny white flakes pass, Ciel jumped when one of the windows suddenly shattered.

There were noises, but Ciel couldn't immediately decipher them. They definitely weren't human, and as he clutched the railing with both hands now, forcing himself to stay put, Ciel watched with growing trepidation as the second window splintered loudly, black and feathered blobs filling up both the frames, the garbled noises now becoming distinguishable "caws".

"What in the…?"

An army of small black figures were flying through the air now, having broken through the small and crowded openings. Paintings from the walls and potted plants on low tables fell in every which direction, the curtains and tapestries ripped gruesomely, the lights flickered. The chanting noise of the birds who were destroying his home grew louder and louder and _louder._

Within seconds the foyer was in complete shambles, and Ciel stumbled back as the mass of crows started to dart up the stairwell, their beady and soulless eyes training on him. A lump wedged in his throat before he found his will to bolt in the opposite direction.

A string of loud crashes tailed him as he ran down the hall, each shatter of glass or crack of wood urging Ciel to move faster, but eventually they caught up with him. Angry beaks pecked at his shoulders as the earsplitting sound of flapping wings and caws deafened him, slowing him down. Having not gotten very far, Ciel fell to his knees, his hands slapping over his ears as he curled into a ball. Painful pecks that ripped his clothes rained down his back and along his sides made him bite his lip hard, and hot tears welled up behind his closed eyelids as he tried to convince himself that none of it was truly happening. It had to be another hallucination.

Whimpering as those razor-sharp beaks started to break his skin, Ciel slumped to his side, the hungry birds furiously flapping around him, each trying to pick a scrap to call his own. He could feel blood dripping down his arms, along his spine, in the curve of his neck. They were relentless, without mercy.

Was this to be his torment, his own personal hell? Although he hadn't said so, it was clear that Sebastian wasn't about to give him a straightforward answer. Of course, that was to be obvious, the man was a daemon, wasn't he? But why, _whywhywhy_ did he have to pick Ciel? What had he done to deserve such suffering, such grief? There had to be a purpose to it all, the boy wanted to believe there had to be, but what? Why wouldn't Sebastian answer him?!

'Was it because I…?'

Curling into himself even tighter as the strikes suddenly escalated, Ciel drilled these questions over and over, yet he received no enlightenment. His body was becoming numb, and his mind would soon follow it into the unknown oblivion.

_It's hopeless…I should just…_

"Mreow~" came a familiar trill and Ciel took a chance to peek through the fluttering feathers to see the black cat, sitting contently a couple feet away, merely observing his pain. It licked its paw languidly, eyes staring at him stoically. A choked sob escaped Ciel's throat as he attempted to reach out to the feline, whether it was there or not, but the instant his arm was exposed, the crows attacked with their vicious beaks, tearing him apart.

Those large eyes shifted as he whimpered in pain, and the cat stood on all fours, studying him intently. Then suddenly it hissed at the scavengers, swiping a clawed paw at them, attracting some of their attention. When it became apparent that they neither feared nor were interested in the growling cat, the feline jumped.

A loud screech echoed in Ciel's ears as the feline defended him against the birds. For all but a moment the earl felt comfort as fresh blood was drawn from the thunderous crows as the cat unleashed its anger upon them. Then there was an unexpected clearing of the black birds and the feline nuzzled him, licking his nose with its rough tongue, as if offering its protection. But of course, even this small comfort was ripped away from him as the crows attacked back without a hint of warning.

Warmth suddenly enveloped him, shooting him to the ceiling. The crows moved with loud calls and the pain ceased to dull stings. His eyes snapped open in confusion, and Ciel watched with disbelief as the numerous birds shifted into the figures of men.

…_die. _

"Such greedy creatures," a smooth voice spoke to him, a hand gently caressing the side of his face. Ciel started, his body twisting the in the soothing heat it was cradled in, but he was immobilized. His hair was tucked behind his ear, and the familiar voice continued, "Don't you think?"

Ciel's mouth moved with unformed, unheard questions; his mind was so muddled. What he was seeing was plainly not right, reality was colliding with illusion. The men statically continued to shift into crows, destroying his home recklessly, selfishly, voraciously. He suddenly felt his sense of security shatter, he felt vulnerable, completely and utterly powerless.

Sebastian had taken him to a Birdseye view, and Ciel could do nothing but watch as his home was pillaged. Windows were smashed to bits, paintings of his family were defiled, and his valuables were stolen. Mismatched eyes darted to two figures that were not painted black, but white. His mind recognized them as important, but he couldn't say who they were even though they brought a scrap of hope back to him. Yet even these two after a moment did as the crows did, and Ciel felt his throat tighten in betrayal. Men and crows ripped the walls and splashed them with clear liquid that was clearly not water. Ciel's heart tightened as a spark was ignited below.

"See how those men are complete savages, breaking into your home, tearing it apart, sullying all that you treasure, and taking your things?" Sebastian whispered to him intensely, bringing them just a little bit closer to the growing inferno. "_They_ cannot be trusted. Do you know who sent them? Your loving Queen, of course. _She_ wants your wealth, your life, not your well-being. And you already know who can't save you from them, don't you? So who _can_ you trust, Ciel?"

The daemon's words fell on his ears clearly, but Ciel couldn't detach his gaze from the destruction. "That's…not…"

A firm grip held his chin, but Sebastian did not force Ciel to look away from the horror. "…_do_ you know who to trust?"

Flames of red and orange were licking the insides of his manor, eating anything and everything within its reach. Shrieks of desperate crows combined with the imprudent men filled Ciel's ears. His hands trembled as he recalled screams of the past. He finally bowed his head, trying to will the memories which threatened to overcome him away. _Not again, not again,_ _not again-!_ "Not them, not…me," he choked.

Sebastian chuckled deeply behind him, tracing his jaw with a pointed claw. "Very smart boy," he murmured, tucking the young earl closer to his chest. A tongue licked the shell of his ear. "Now tell me, Ciel, who do you love?"

His head was growing dizzy with the smoke and the rising heat. The warmth around him was comforting, but also suffocating. Asymmetric eyes grew hazy with tears as he tried to make sense of what was happening, what was real, and what the daemon was lewdly whispering to him. Ciel coughed with a moan, his senses heightening as a large hand constricted around his throat as he was brought even closer to the carnage.

Ciel could feel the hairs on his skin burning, and his wounds from earlier festering in the extreme heat. _It hurt._

"You cannot love which is gone, my dove. You also cannot love what you've already rejected," Sebastian continued to tell him softly, evenly. His words were crystal clear despite all the horrific noise around him, they were becoming frighteningly enticing. "So what _can_ you love?"

An unsettling peace surrounded his whole being as the daemon's words sank in. For all but a moment, everything fell away, and Ciel was by himself. The noise, the embrace of a daemon, the destruction, the heat, and the memories, all of it was gone. What was left were two paths, one a straight yet thin white line that dimmed as it went along, the other a jagged, angry path that remained brightly lit. One so easily trailed away, to be purposely forgotten with the promise of death that lay at the end. The other held no such promises other than great difficulty and pain, but a satisfying reward of life would be waiting for him at the end.

_Which do I choose? _

Lacking remorse, he took a step…

"I…I love _you._"

A hand slapped over his face without warning, obscuring his vision and yanking his head back. Ciel felt his body jerk in return with such force that his breath was taken away. He felt as if he were being squeezed and he managed to let out half a scream before teeth clashed against his and a tongue ran down his throat with purpose. From the bottom of his stomach he felt the sensation of something being drawn then torn before being devoured completely. Unbearable pain convulsed his body and the boy couldn't tell where he was anymore; the reds and black and greys and oranges were blending together in a confusing array of ugly colors as his sight shifted far too quickly for him to keep up and comprehend. Warmth and coolness spread over him and through him too many times to count before he lost consciousness altogether.

Outside under the half-covered moon and lightly falling snow that contrasted quite beautifully with the blazing mansion, the daemon smirked with partially sated hunger. "Well done, my little dove, well done…"

* * *

_The clouds he glided over were as pure as snow, unblemished by spots of grey and the rising smoke far below. His veins burned with an everlasting heat that could not be extinguished; the blaze over the peaceful landscape was charring him, changing him. He just kept sinking further and further into the silent abyss. _

_Tears which could never fall blurred Ciel's vision and a scream caught in his throat as something inside the unbearable heat twisted and snapped. He convulsed, contorted in sheer agony as he drifted. _

_Yet no matter how much his body, riddled with pain, begged for release, his mind kept strong, propelling him forward through the feather-soft clouds. _

* * *

Ciel would sleep for some time, Sebastian knew. Standing in the frigid cold, watching the mansion burn without guidance, the daemon held the unconscious boy, the consequences of his unhinged actions earlier already starting to haunt him with ghostly whispers.

Surely he hadn't gone too far…? He'd gotten what he wanted; his devious nature had worked wonders. Half of the boy's soul rest in his stomach and…

…a part of _him_ resided in the boy.

He watched the fire for a while with a stony face, his thumb absently rubbing Ciel's upper arm. The wind gust against them as the night wore on, and as the dull morning light of dawn started to peak, most of the mansion was reduced to charred wooden beams and ashy smoke. Glancing down at the boy in his arms, Sebastian took note of the bluish hue Ciel's skin was starting to take on. Smiling softly, he hefted the boy even closer to his chest.

The daemon took to following the numerous ash and snow mixed paths around the manor for some time, contemplating his next move. Every now and then Ciel would twitch, but they were such slight movements that Sebastian hardly noticed them. The pale sun continued to rise higher and higher into the obscured sky, and the daemon knew he couldn't stay much longer. He finally meandered his way to the front gates just as the early birds started to sing.

His head bent to Ciel, his fingers brushing over the boy's cold brow. "Didn't I tell you that you'd sing to me freely, my little dove? Now it's a tune all the more sweeter."

* * *

A/N: This concludes the first half of this fic. The next chapters may not come as scheduled as these first four, since a lot of other writing projects have come up. But I hope to have them written and posted as soon as possible! Thank you for reading, and please review!


	5. Clipped Wings

A/N: Here's the next chapter/second half! I don't really know when the next will be out since school's starting again soon, but I'm hoping to update at least once a month, maybe every three weeks if my busy life decides to cut me a break (sorry)

Warnings: dark themes, blood/gore, language, mention of sex, vague mention of _noncon_ sex, disturbing images

* * *

Chapter Five

Clipped Wings

* * *

The constant noise of the public had woken him. Cars honked and screeched and the neighbors downstairs thudded like wild animals. Warm arms he had more or less become accustomed to wove around him snugly as Ciel stared into the darkness. Soft and even breaths smoothed over the nape of his neck, yet it did nothing to lull him back to sleep.

Reaching out into the cold air, Ciel pulled out the old Walkman from the bedside table and tucked the earbuds in, his head lolling against the cool pillow as he pressed play. The familiar tune of _Tabula Rasa_ flowed, relaxing him.

'A blank slate,' he mused, closing his mismatched eyes and nuzzling the pillow, 'If only I could turn into one.'

Behind him, Sebastian mumbled something incoherent in his luxurious sleep, his arms tightening around Ciel's waist even more. Squeezing his eyes shut against the unwanted action, Ciel's finger numbly turned the volume dial up, the twin violins playing just for him.

So many years had passed, so many events, so many fights, agreements, acceptances, stubbornness…Ciel had already become weary of it all. Much of the past had been explained to him within the last couple decades, but not everything. Sebastian still withheld much desired information.

The couple downstairs continued to quarrel and Ciel damned his ears for hearing it. His heart twisted angrily as their fight escalated to outright abuse before another neighbor decided to step in with a telephone, threatening to call the cops. The man slurred back and the woman wept, the third occupant's fingers jabbing the buttons. Ciel could already hear the shrill sirens of the police.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to do the same? To force Sebastian away, out of his sight, out of his life? To see the daemon behind bars would be most satisfying. A glimmer of pleasure pulled Ciel's lips at the thought, but another murmur from the other quickly dismissed his smile. No…it would never be that simple. He mustn't forget the last time he tried such a stunt.

"Stupid," he whispered fervently to himself, his anger and sadness warring with one another as he curled into a ball, his knees skimming the edge of the bed and kissing the cold air.

* * *

"Do you need anything, Ciel?" the older daemon asked from the doorway. A wallet was carefully tucked into Sebastian's back pocket.

From his spot by the window Ciel pretended not to hear, burying his nose further into his book. His eyes stared at the words but he didn't read them, unable to reabsorb himself. He kept his head down as Sebastian approached him, obviously ready to pull an answer from him by any means necessary.

The worn book was plucked from his hands and Ciel silently fumed, remembering what happened last week when he let his tongue lash. Sebastian carelessly tossed the book to the table in the corner, bending down closer to his level. "Ciel, I asked if you needed anything."

He already knew the situation wouldn't end happily. This was already a familiar routine he'd played before, the silent treatment. The only good that came out of this method would be a less painful punishment in the end. "May I please have my book back?" he mumbled with adverted eyes.

Sebastian sighed, clearly exasperated with him. "You haven't eaten a proper meal in a while," he commented.

"So?"

A hand dipped under his chin and lifted it so their eyes met. "Unless you're telling me you've taken a sudden fancy to souls, is there anything you want me to get from the store?"

"No."

Sebastian was visibly losing his patience, but Ciel had a feeling that if he did cut loose, it wouldn't be as bad as he thought. But then those narrow red eyes shined as the daemon smirked. Letting his chin go with a rude flick, Sebastian turned his back on him and started to head for the door. "Alright then, but I'll have you know that you'll be confined for three weeks without a meal if you don't want anything now."

At the other's words Ciel's stomach protested loudly enough for Sebastian, who was on the other side of the room now, to hear. His ears turned red in embarrassment and shame within himself. The truth was that he was _starving_. He was so pathetic and couldn't even feed himself a dying dog's soul. Regular human food was unfortunately a must for him, yet everything that he did consume eventually jumped right back up.

Alas, the perks of being half-daemon.

"Oh dear, have I angered you that much, dove?" Sebastian's amused voice floated, and Ciel broke from his irate musings to feel the heat within his eyes. Closing them, he willed the warmth away, allowing his natural blue and purple pentagon mark to overcome red irises.

"Shut up," he quipped, pulling his knees to his chest and balancing on the wooden sill. He let his back rest against the window's frame as he turned his attention to the still bustling traffic below.

Was the damn daemon ever going to leave? Ciel thought with irritation as Sebastian returned to him, settling on his knees so that his chin was level with Ciel's calves. Hands snaked up his half bare legs to rest atop his knees, Sebastian's smiling face upturned to him. "You were tossing and turning last night," he said frankly but quietly, like he was concerned. Red eyes watched their owner's fingers start to drift down the half-daemon's thigh. "Did you have another nightmare or…" his fingers teased the waistband of his sweats, "…was I too rough?"

Sucking in a breath and foregoing the consequences, Ciel let his arm lash out, striking Sebastian in the face with a loud crack. "Just go!" he nearly shrieked. As expected, the daemon appeared unfazed and Ciel's gut tightened with apprehension of punishment as he set his gaze back to the outside world.

Hot breath ghosted around his ear but Ciel didn't flinch, used to the sensation. "I'll bring back your favorite, how does that sound?" The boy didn't bother to answer, ignoring him, and with a quick hum, Sebastian got back to his feet and finally left, locking the door behind him.

When Ciel was certain that Sebastian was out of earshot, he shuddered with an enormous sigh, resting his head atop his knees. His throat tightened, his eyes every now and then glancing outside, wondering if he could truly ever get away.

As he had expected when it was first placed in his eye, the pentagon marking was a tracking device that was special to Sebastian, as he was the only one who could trace it should he ever run off. Over the multiple decades, Ciel had tested its strength out, whether he truly meant to break free from Sebastian's grasp or out of sheer boredom. No matter how far away he'd get, the other daemon would always find him. He had asked Sebastian one day how far he'd have to go before the mark became clouded to his senses. The other confused him with the answer of either reaching heaven or hell.

Of course, after Sebastian had thoroughly explained the marking, he had jumped right into the subject of the bond between them. Ciel still didn't quite understand the process or the mere fact that part of Sebastian's soul resided _within_ _his_ _body_, but that was what had turned him into half a daemon. With that explanation alone, Ciel had been ready to scream and kill himself right then and there, but of course, Sebastian had forcibly stopped him from doing so.

It was strange, how Sebastian kept him on, caring then hurting him, and then caring for him again. Ciel couldn't comprehend it, why he was alive, why he was turned; this information was still kept from him. Perhaps Sebastian didn't even know himself? It was a thought Ciel turned over and over in his head, yet he never asked, already knowing Sebastian wouldn't provide him with an answer.

Such an odd relationship had built between them. Early on, Ciel had kept quiet and let Sebastian lead the way. He was ashamed to admit it, but he had acted like a ragdoll, allowing the daemon to do as he pleased in every sense of the word. He had been a hollow shell that was constantly tugged around the world, city to city, being fed and forcibly loved. For however long he was in that state, Ciel knew that he'd gone momentarily crazy, searching for any way out, even going as far as trying to gouge out his eye – not that it would've done anything, he later learned.

Ciel couldn't pinpoint when he had come back to his senses; it was somewhere during the hazy period of the World Wars. Sebastian had steered clear of Europe for his sake, always muttering under his breath of keeping low and that neither were to partake in any slaughter. Ciel didn't understand, but he'd always remember the way the daemon constantly glanced over his shoulder or at the sky as if they were being pursued, sometimes giving small hints by saying "we've been suspected". Usually when those words slipped from the daemon's mouth, they immediately relocated.

But somewhere in that short time period Ciel had "awakened". He couldn't recall what they had been doing or where they had been, but something in his drifting thoughts had caught in a web of defiance. That day he had put his foot down, demanding respect and some authority. His attitude had changed for the better – or so he thought – that day as well, and from that point on, he wasn't afraid to throw a tantrum or start a fight or act snobbishly moody in front of Sebastian – or anyone for that matter. Surprisingly Sebastian had given him some leeway, appearing to have taken a liking to his childish stubbornness and cross moods. The only aspect he wasn't allowed, however, was which capital they'd move to next.

And did they move. Ciel could never predict when they'd leave for another city, be it a week, three months or seven years. Sebastian dictated the moving game, never telling him why they'd go to a certain city over another, or even why he _always_ picked the large and densely populated metropolises. He had questioned the subject once, but Sebastian had merely said that he "liked them". Ciel didn't touch the subject again.

Currently they were somewhere within America again, but Ciel didn't bother to learn the cities' names. Sebastian didn't seem to care much for them either, just as long as they served whatever purpose he had chosen them for. Over the course of their travelling, however, Sebastian had oddly kept in mind to stay within the laditude Ciel had been used to when he had lived in England. It was a strange notion for Sebastian to keep track of, but again Ciel didn't question it. Only a couple times had they ventured down south, but it was after they had spent time somewhere in the North of Africa did Ciel make it crystal clear that he preferred the milder climate.

Of course, he knew at least one of the reasons why they moved so often. Neither of them aged. Ciel was pretty sure that Sebastian could if he wanted to, but he on the other hand, still being half human had the inability to do so. A hundred twenty-something years later, Ciel still appeared as a normal seventeen year old. Granted, most people took him to be about fourteen or fifteen for some reason, but whenever neighbors would celebrate or at least be aware of Ciel's "nineteenth-twentieth birthday", they would have to move, so on average, the most amount of time they would spend in one place would be about five or six years. The longest they had remained in one place had been a full decade; the least being half a day.

As for their story, Sebastian would often tell people they were brothers. It was absurd, but everyone thoughtlessly bought it, often commenting on some resemblance between them that wasn't even there.

"Tch." Moving from the sill, Ciel's bare feet padded along the wooden floor. The only resemblance between them would be their red eyes – but Sebastian had made it dangerously clear to him that they were to never, _never_ be revealed to the general public. He shivered, recalling the daemon telling him in a seductive voice that _those_ eyes were to be reserved for _him_ and him only.

Picking up his tossed book, Ciel flipped through the pages, searching for where he'd left off last. He snarled when he couldn't find it, but unlike Sebastian, he carefully placed it back onto the nearly empty bookshelf. Their apartment this time wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. It was small but big enough for two. Three dusty books and a sofa had come free with it. But of course, that wasn't all that had been free…

Ciel had been utterly disgusted at first, but even he couldn't deny that Sebastian's method of payment worked wonders. The daemon obviously didn't have a preference, young or old, woman or man, as long as they could have a place to live, Sebastian was willing to use his daemonic charms to their full capacity. The shock of the daemon's actions and manipulation eventually wore off as it became a routine like everything else, that is, until Sebastian turned his charm's attention on _him_.

No matter how much he would struggle, Ciel knew from the start that he was fighting a useless battle. What made it even worse was that Ciel would often succumb to the other daemon's desires. His attitude and pride were thrown out the window each time, and he couldn't make sense of why he'd just give up. Pleasant words and his pet name would be whispered into his ear, sometimes of sweet nothings, others times as lighthearted threats which held deeper meanings. It was like an invisible chain hung around his neck, and Sebastian held the other end, always drawing him back…

…and to add to his misery, sometimes Ciel would willingly engage in the sinful acts Sebastian wished to indulge. Pleasure would course through his veins, his vulnerability and security in the hands of the daemon who'd taken everything away from him. He'd be nothing more than clay ready to mold into anything Sebastian coveted. There was nothing he could do about it. It was as if an instinct to do such things had been implanted within him when he'd been turned.

His bad mood was all but gone by the time Sebastian came back, two small brown bags in his arms full of food just for him. The raven-haired daemon dumped the bags on the table where Ciel sat, leaving the younger to pick through the food, trying to ignore his monstrous stomach's growls.

Picking out some bread and cold cuts, Ciel felt the familiar pang of homemade meals. He couldn't recall the last time he had a cup of his favorite tea, nor a full meal fit for a noble. His previous life was over just as quickly as he thought. He tried not to dwell on it often.

"Here," Sebastian offered, placing a glass full of blue liquid in front of him. Ciel eyed it with distaste before forcing himself to take small bites from his sandwich. "What no 'thank you'? What a rude little dove you've become." Ciel glared and with a sigh Sebastian pulled out the opposite chair, settling his elbows on the table with his head on his hands. Ciel ate in silence for some time, the other watching him and looking around the room.

The calendar that had also come with the apartment caught Sebastian's eye, and a devious smirk spread his lips. "Do you know what date it is, Ciel?"

Not even pausing at the use of his name, said daemon merely gave the other a look of annoyance. Of course he knew today's date; it was hardly worth mentioning. Yet every couple years, Sebastian felt the need to remind him of the solemn day.

"October twenty-fifth," he recited, leaning back in his chair, one eye on the calendar, the other on Ciel. "It's hard to believe a hundred twenty years have passed. You're not still mourning, are you?"

It was always best not to give a reaction in any kind of situation that concerned Sebastian's teasing, yet Ciel couldn't help but let slip a tiny "shut it" between chews.

Only a couple years ago did Sebastian finally reveal to him those newspaper headlines of "The Phantomhive Curse". Like he had suspected, his family's disappearance from the world had caused a stir. Scotland Yard had done thorough investigations that resulted in their deaths by a certain daemon. Following those deaths, greedy lowlifes and average commoners came to his manor seeking to pillage items of wealth, and Sebastian had taken the liberty to pick off a few here and there. Apparently he'd murdered so many that the rest of the public had come to rumor that a "phantom" dwelled within his household, cursing all those who entered. It wasn't until his last hallucination as a full human being that her Highness finally sent a couple of her own soldiers to investigate, inevitably ending with the same fate as the rest who'd come.

"I've been thinking of revisiting England, just for your sake," Sebastian continued, a devious grin curling his lips. Ciel on the other hand tried to ignore him, knowing he was only waiting for a reaction. "How would that –"

"This game of yours is becoming quite tiring, you know," Ciel cut in, finally looking up with a bored expression. Their gazes held one another for a time as each considered a move or comeback. Sebastian broke it as he stood up, moving to Ciel's side. "Don't touch me," the boy warned, his body tensing in apprehension.

Nevertheless a hand slid up his thigh. "I can tell you're lying, little dove. And I know for certain that I haven't chased away all your emotions; not yet."

"Please do," Ciel encouraged with a scoff. Without emotions, he'd be so much better off. He wouldn't have to deal with the everyday stresses the daemon caused him. It'd be such a blissful kind of numb.

Sebastian tapped his nose. "So depressing, little dove, you're breaking my heart."

"What heart?" Ciel countered sarcastically, swiping away the other's hand and pushing back his chair. Sebastian let him go, but Ciel could feel watchful eyes tracking his every move as he grabbed his jacket and eye patch. "I'm going out," he announced nonchalantly, though a small portion of his mind awaited the other daemon's answer.

He made it to the door before Sebastian stopped him. They stood back to chest, silently, tensely. Sebastian dipped his head into the crook of Ciel's neck. "Don't stay out too long…" he murmured protectively.

Ciel was about to question why, but the door suddenly swished open and then closed, Sebastian locking it securely behind him. Rolling his eyes with a mutter of "idiot", Ciel marched to the stairs and outside where he was met with fresh autumn air.

* * *

During his extended lifetime, Ciel had hardly taken interest pursuing the activities which attracted his "age group". Essentially they were all the same kinds of events: groups of friends going out at night to drink and dance. The elements that had changed which his Victorian-era mindset could not quite accept were the various evolutions of clothes, dance, and music. In Ciel's mind, everything had gone to waste and was highly inappropriate. But what puzzled him the most was that this answer of disinterest never seemed to deter young groups from trying to persuade him to "loosen up" and "have a little fun".

Perhaps he hadn't realized it in his day, but apparently he was thought to be highly attractive. Girls wound themselves around him shamelessly, and even some guys gave him certain looks of interest. Yet not matter how blatantly and coldly he rejected them, they would always come crawling back.

"Aw, come on," a girl whined, batting her eyes as her friends joined in. "It'll be fun and you look really lonely. Pretty please?"

Ciel more or less wrenched his arm back. "No, thank you," he said curtly, and when that didn't seem to discourage them, he sighed. He took a step back as they advanced. "I have no interest in spending my time with a party of wanton whores." The only thing that made this slightly bearable was the fact that it wasn't a mixed group.

As always, it had the desired effect and Ciel side-stepped an angry slap. Sure, they honestly appeared to be decent, but it was the only tactic Ciel could think of in this day and age to peel them off him. Passing them, he ignored the various slandering remarks as the group stormed off in the opposite direction.

'With that out of the way…' Ciel thought as he continued down the familiar street. The sun had gone down about two hours before, leaving a purple-ish mist in its wake before true darkness would slink into the city. Many shops' neon lights were starting to flicker to life and the headlights of cars became blinding. Yet Ciel pressed on, winding through the streets, over a small bridge or two followed by some narrow alleys he'd previously discovered until the familiar sight of solitude came into view.

The park.

Technically it closed at dark, but like most things, Ciel had grown to ignore such petty policies. It was easy to jump the gates or pick the locks within the shadows of the trees. Sometimes his entryway was already open and waiting for him due to other hooligans stoked up on one drug or another. As for guards, it truly depended on the city and how large the park. Over the years, Ciel had made parks his escape, and only once or twice he had a run-in with the night-watch. Needless to say, city parks had become his haven.

He supposed it was because they were open spaces that reminded him of his manor, but Ciel didn't think too critically about it. They were peaceful and natural; a sharp contrast to the noise and traffic of a city he had come to loathe.

Scaling the gate as easily as the first hundred times, Ciel quietly moved away from the path and to the trees and brush, following their natural trail to his favorite spot. The mid-autumn night was comfortable as a small breeze picked up, guiding him to the small pond. It was unfortunate the city's lights managed to block the stars and moon overhead, but Ciel continued on, at last finding the narrow worn path that slanted between two rows of trees. Moving down to the patch of grass just above the water, Ciel settled his back resting against a tree trunk. The water glimmered faintly as it gently lapped against the eroded edges, its soft noise putting Ciel at ease. He merely sat there for some time, not thinking but drifting. It was when a small animal skittered by that Ciel's eye unglazed.

Sebastian's words not to stay out too long came back to him and as Ciel looked to the orange and black smeared sky, he wondered how late it was. He couldn't recall how long he'd been sitting there, and of course, there were no stars to tell him either. In the end, Ciel disregarded it, knowing that if Sebastian truly wanted him to return, the daemon could find him in a heartbeat.

A scuffling noise came again, but this time it was accompanied with a string of hushed voices. Ciel rolled his eyes as he listened, certain that a few drunks wouldn't find their way to him. If they did, he might be in trouble. As half a daemon, the only true abilities he'd been given were the red eyes and a drastic sharpening of his senses. Everything was advanced but his strength – save the reinforced durability of his skin. Ciel resented this, trying not to recall the numerous times Sebastian had come to his rescue. It was pathetic and humiliating. And of course, the daemon would take any advantage to further snub his pride with these instances.

On edge, Ciel continued to listen for the group's messy stumbles and warbled voices, but oddly they had hushed. Had they moved on that quickly? Curious, Ciel started about halfway up the path before a loud laugh followed by a painful crash met him, he and a much larger man tumbling back and just narrowly missing the murky water.

One of the guys above shouted a name before the rest of them – one, two, three, four – drunkenly clambered down the tiny path to their friend. Ciel curled into himself as the second man toppled onto them. There was some shuffling next and Ciel managed to slip through the large bodies, his eye spotting the empty pathway. If he could –

"Hey! Who-who's the kid?" one of the drunks yelled with an unbalanced laugh, his grip on Ciel's ankle tightening before heaving the boy back.

"Let go, bastards," Ciel growled through clenched teeth, struggling to loosen the grip around him but to no avail. He was wrenched forward, the sky blurring with the trees above before five ugly faces all at once hovered over him in curiosity.

"Heh, heh, look at 'im squirm," one of them commented, and what seemed to be two dozen hands suddenly were over him. "So pre-_hic_-ty."

"Ggh…stop it!" Ciel yelled whole-heartedly as those hands pinned him down hard. He struggled with everything he possessed and he managed to kick one of the guys in the mouth. Blood smeared over his shoe along with a tooth, but his triumph was smoldered as he was then cuffed on the side of the head.

They had turned to talking amongst themselves now, but still kept their holds strong.

"He's a boy though."

"So? Who gives a – _hic_ – damn?"

"Le's carve 'is face – here." Ciel's heart stammered for a moment when he noticed a sudden flash of metal. Sure, he'd heal from a cut or stab wound within a couple days, but he still found it painful and unnecessary. "Tha's a pretty eye, boy. You think e's queer?"

"He _is_ thin; lookie at his hair too."

Ciel tensed as one of them bent to sniff it; his head-butt missed. "Let go of me this instant!"

"Ha ha, he is, he is! What a girl!"

Squirming with a gasp, Ciel tried with everything he had to get away as his shirt was pushed up. "He ain't no girl."

"Sure 'e is." Ciel whimpered as a hand slid up his chest. "Sure acts like one. Wha' a slut."

"Stop!" The pressure on his legs and arms intensified considerably. He couldn't hear anyone who'd be passing by, so his voice was rendered useless. And his last resort…no, Sebastian wouldn't let him live this display of weakness down. But what could he do? He was truly defenseless.

One of the drunks muttered something Ciel just barely caught and the boy suddenly found himself placed in one of their laps. A hand slapped over his mouth and an arm coiled around his upper torso, making him short of breath. He mumbled, unable to wriggle free as one of his shoes was tugged off, twisting his ankle in the process. Hands crept up his bare calves; skimming over his thighs and making him shiver with disgust. Dirty fingers curled around the top of his waistband and he viciously kicked for all he was worth, yet the holds around him in only grew tighter.

Squeezing his eyes shut in shame as he realized that he didn't even have the ability to bite the man's hand, Ciel whimpered as he felt the soft fabric start to slide down his trembling legs. Nasty alcoholic and hot breath ran down his neck and the men in front chuckled at him and his vulnerability, making crude comments that inadvertently made Ciel's face flush red.

It was agonizing. Degrading. He knew he should've called out for Sebastian earlier.

Ciel didn't know when his head hit the cool grass. The breeze had picked up, and although he felt no physical pain, he knew that the emotional would eat him up. The men around him jeered at him and egged one another on. Slowly, Ciel reached for his eye patch and tugged it loose.

"…"

_Come on, say it. _

"…Sebastian."

He could have been watching the whole time. It was amazing how fast the other daemon arrived. Within seconds the men were splattered into the water, against the trees and brush. Their screams were cut off mid-shriek, reduced to bloody gurgles before fading away altogether.

Ciel was heaved up by the collar of his wrinkled shirt and a sharp slap was deliberately delivered. It stung, but Ciel knew he deserved it. He blinked away the tears that welled up in his eyes before Sebastian could catch them, but the daemon was already shaking him out of anger.

"What did I tell you?" Sebastian seethed, his red eyes glowing threateningly, though Ciel had learned not to fear them. The boy was unsure of whether or not he was still in the air or if he'd been placed back on the ground. One of Sebastian's hands ran down his back to cup his naked arse. He snarled at what he found there, and for a moment Ciel thought he'd strike him again, but the blow never came.

In midst of it all Ciel found the will to chuckle. "Are you surprised?" he questioned boldly, looking Sebastian square in the eye. "I know you can sense me, you know exactly what they did. Quit this protective bullshit, daemon.

"You were here the whole time, weren't you? Watching them, watching _me_. How pathetic, how perverse. If you were so strung up on my protection, you would've stopped them. But no, you _let_ them have their inane fun for your own sick amusement." Each spoken word stroked Ciel's pride and confidence. Whether he was right or wrong, it didn't matter anymore. "You're the worst."

Dark crimson eyes narrowed at his outburst, their owner buying his time. When Ciel had nothing more to say, Sebastian pinched the boy's face and leaned close. His voice was low and dangerous. "And you enjoyed them, didn't you? You dirty, naughty dove." A tongue sampled the boy's bottom lip, licking away Ciel's sudden courage.

It was as if his words turned the boy's world completely upside-down. "N-no, I –"

"Did they ravish you the way you wanted? Was I not good enough for you _Ciel?_" Sebastian hissed coldly, watching with satisfaction as the boy's resolve dissipated completely. Supporting him from his back, Sebastian effortlessly pulled Ciel to his chest, his tiny legs splayed over his lap. "…well?"

Burying his face into Sebastian's chest and grasping the lapels of the thin jacket that he wore, Ciel knew exactly what response the daemon was waiting for. He knew the answer well, this situation came often but always knocked him off guard. No matter how many times it came up, he'd always be unprepared for it; even though he didn't quite understand it, he knew the answer as if he'd been born with it stamped in his mind.

"I – ah!" He shivered as hands roamed over the small of his back and over his thighs, teasing him in his vulnerable state. "I…I love you."

A kiss was planted on his temple and Ciel felt his face heat up. Nothing more was said as his sweats were pulled back up to his hips, the daemon whispering in his ear, "That's right, my sweet dove, and don't you ever forget it."

* * *

A/N: I just want to say thank you to everyone who's been following me on this; I know that this isn't the cookie-cut SebxCiel lovey-dovey, wish-fulfilling fanfic everyone adores, so I really appreciate everyone who's stuck with me this far! This one's actually been rather difficult to write, so thank you for all of your wonderful feedback – it keeps me encouraged to write!


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